


The Unrelenting Frozen Seas: The Journey

by Dock872210, NamelessEngine



Series: The Unrelenting Frozen Seas [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Always a Different Sex, Camp Half-Blood (Percy Jackson), Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, F/F, F/M, Family, Female Harry Potter, Friendship, Gen, Hogwarts, Hogwarts First Year, Hogwarts Second Year, Hogwarts Third Year, Horcrux Hunting, Lesbian Character, Original Character(s), Pre-Canon (PJO)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-20
Updated: 2020-11-21
Packaged: 2021-03-09 21:02:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 227,287
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27642503
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dock872210/pseuds/Dock872210, https://archiveofourown.org/users/NamelessEngine/pseuds/NamelessEngine
Summary: The Sea has many moods, many faces. This is mirrored by its children greatly. The icy seas shift and tide against the shore of a difficult path. Watch as a small ripple becomes a mighty typhoon in the world of monsters, gods, and demigods.
Series: The Unrelenting Frozen Seas [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2021171
Comments: 14
Kudos: 50





	1. Prologue: Survival

**Author's Note:**

> This is part of a migration of our works on FFN. We will take time to complete the process for this series over the next little while (20 Nov 2020).

**Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson or Harry Potter.**

**The Unrelenting Frozen Seas: The Journey**

**Prologue: Survival**

**Beta: Siegfried01**

**Edited: 11/8/14**

* * *

Well, it was official. She was lost. Most really and truly lost. Sighing despondently, she whirled around helplessly, the dropping temperature lending haste to her actions. Squaring her frail shoulders, she soldiered on, striding forwards. Passing an electronics store, the sight of a familiar face stopped her cold.

The girl was short, only just pushing four foot two, if that. Her face, distorted ever so slightly by the glass of the dead television screen, was nevertheless one that could be considered beautiful, in a few years. Currently the high cheekbones and sharp nose were blunted by the presence of baby fat, not much but enough to obscure them nonetheless. A small crimson hoodie helped shield her from the elements and prying eyes both, although a few strands of long jet-black hair peeked out from under the hood as glimpses of two green orbs hid within.

Shaking her head, the girl sighed once more before leaving, her grey sweatpants flashing in and out of the screen.

"Alright, small break," she commented quietly, her voice ringing out in the empty alleyway, revealing to the world her cultured British accent. In light of that, it really wasn't that surprising she was lost. Leaning against the wall, the rough brick making its displeasure known as she slid down to rest on the ground, her lightly battered backpack digging ever so slightly into her back. Fiddling with the laces of her black hi-tops, she allowed herself to catch her breath as clouds of white mist twisted and curled in and out of her sight. Just another sign as to the biting cold.

Peering around the wall, she whipped her head back in and sighed; idly brushing her bangs away where they threatened to fall over her eyes, revealing her tanned skin as well as a simple cuff bracelet made out of green sea glass, and most interestingly a scar imprinted on her forehead. A lightning bolt.

Well, perhaps she could stay, just a little while to catch her breath.

Digging around for a second, she fished out a small white pearl held by a thin leather cord around her neck. The pearl itself was rather plain, not too perfect, nor too deformed. But she grasped it tightly all the same, a habit when stress reared its ugly head. And so she sat for the next few minutes, cradling her pearl, all the while watching as lights flashed and the sounds of boots against the pavement filled her head.

Sucking in a deep breath, she huffed before standing. Ducking back into the crowded streets, her small frame allowing her to weave in and out of the massive bodies that flooded her vision. Her eyes caught a digital clock as she passed by a barber's salon. 20:16. She grimaced. She really needed a place to lay low for the night, lest some monster finds her.

Forcing the rising whimper down, her knuckles whitened. She was not going to die here.

As she ducked around in the crowd, her mind wandered. The beginning of her little Odyssey replaying.

Now, to understand why she was in America, half way around the world to where her accent is from, one must first understand where she was from in the first place.

Right then, now as one may have already figured out, she was from jolly ol' England. Well, the jolly bit was certainly up for debate if you asked her. When asked why the obvious answer would be because she lived with her aunt, uncle, and cousin. "What's so bad about that?" One may ask, well, there were a number of varying reasons.

Her, for lack of a nicer term, horse-necked aunt forced her to do all the chores, from mowing the lawn to washing the car to cleaning the house; had her make them breakfast every day whilst hers was whatever was left, and knowing her cousin even that wasn't very much mind you.

Her aunt's lovely husband, aside from making her mow the lawn for each season and wash his car, also presented her with a few bruises on her person here and there. "To keep you miserable freak in line." Was his reason.

Then there was his sister…a miserable blimp of a woman, she would sic her Rottweiler on her when she came over, like that one time she was forced to hide in a tree all afternoon; she never did get any dinner that day. The next time…well, the next time you'd be happy to know she finally stood up for herself and clubbed the wretched thing in the head with a nearby stone, killing it.

That was the good side of that particular incident, the…not so good side was the punishment. Not that she cared of course. Her resistance to pain had never been better though, to look at the bright side of things.

Unfortunately, not even her beloved cousin gave her any reprieve. One of his favorite games was, well, emulating his father, to be blunt. Both him and all his little friends, including Piers, the jerk. Whenever she tried to fight back she was locked in her room, said room being not a room but a cupboard. Under the stairs to boot.

Unfortunately for her she was nervous and restless in enclosed spaces. Claustrophobic, was what her school nurse said. When she presented this new piece of information to her aunt and uncle they simply laughed before throwing her, quite literally, back into her cupboard.

I'm sure by now you're wondering something along the lines of, "Why would she be living with such horrible, people?" Well, around the time she was a year old, her parents died. Now she didn't know exactly why, her aunt and uncle told her that they were stupid drunks and got into a car accident that she sadly survived, and that she was a mistake and that she was never loved. But she never believed that; she couldn't, for her own sake, although it still hurt to hear that all the time growing up in that hellhole.

On her way back from school one day, which she had problems in as well, she met a nice lady who said she had won a prize. Now, she had never won anything in her life and was quite obviously excited, so she led the woman back to her hellhole and she told her aunt and uncle about the all expenses paid cruise from England to New York and back. Now at first, her aunt and uncle wanted to leave her with the crazy cat lady, but the woman told her that she had won, and thus needed to go, much to their grumbling.

During the trip, she was mainly locked in her cabin, but when she wanted to leave, it was like the ship was listening to her and unlocked its door for her. It was the most fun she had in her life, ever! Games, fishing, swimming, just talking to kids her age without her cousin running them away, it was such fun. As they docked in New York City, the Big Apple they called it, she was awed and loved everything there. It was like she was home or something as she turned eight years old that day.

Then the woman she met gave her something. It was a dagger, in her hands though it was more like a short sword. It was rather plain, but nice. The whole thing was around twelve inches, and its grip was wrapped tightly some light brown leather, she didn't have time to unsheathe it from its jet black leather sheath. No, she was too busy falling off of the dock. Damn woman pushed her!

As she hit the water, she wanted to gasp for air, but it was like she was being dragged down by some invisible force. As she was panicking, her eyes opened. At first she flinched and closed them, but after a moment's thought she realized something, well two things really. One: that she could see clearly underwater, clear as crystal actually.

And two: she was breathing, underwater!

After those two realizations she calmed down exponentially, and had tried to swim back to the surface. Well, tried being the word. One would normally stop at the sight of a large, rainbow-colored horse, it is after all not something you see every day. Well, it wasn't really a horse, just from the waist up, the rest of it was an actual sea horse.

Riding on it was possibly easily the most beautiful woman she had ever seen in her life, although, considering what her life was like it really wasn't saying very much.

The woman had long hair the color of midnight that rippled and undulated as if one with the water surrounding it and flawless ivory skin. Her bright sea green eyes were matched by the color of her wavy dress.

Despite said incident happening some time ago, she still recalled how it went.

**~Flashback~**

_Rhode Jasmine Potter was not having a good day! And this sudden appearance of a woman riding a rainbow-colored fish-pony-thing was not helping her sanity! Not to mention the fact she was breathing, underwater!_

_"What's going on?" she cried out in frenzy, as the waters seemed to swirl around in her panic._

_As the woman got off of her mount and began to float in the water, her eyes shone with a motherly light, and her smile calmed Rhode's panic._

_"Calm yourself child of my lord." The woman said, her voice caressing Rhode like the soothing waves." I bring you no harm, merely gifts from your father, young hero."_

_Rhode blinked, "Hero? Father? But my dad died, along with my mum in a car accident." Just what was this woman, and a very pretty woman at that, talking about?_

_The woman gave her a small smile, "That would be your step-father, child." She said. She sounded so old, but looked so young, like she wasn't even from this time, but at the same time could fit in perfectly. "After his and your mother's murder, your father, the one whose court I serve, had ones such as my kind, along with our fresh water sisters to watch over you."_

_Rhode blinked and shook her head, her mother and fath-um, step-father were murdered? Her father was still alive and had pretty water women working for him? "What's going on?!"_

_The woman sighed, "Allow me to introduce myself; I am one of the highest in your father's court. I am Thetis, a Nereid."_

_Rhode's eyebrow furrowed in thought, "Aren't those, the um, salt water nymphs from Greek Mythology?" she asked with a cute tilt of her head. The librarian, who also had the same kind of eyes as this woman, told her that when she would help Rhode learn to read. She was dyslexic you see, all the words she tried to read jumbled up in her head. The only language she could read was what the nice lady said was Ancient Greek and taught her to read and write it._

_She also had ADHD, but that was something completely different to this whole situation._

_Thetis, whose name sounded really familiar by the way, smiled, "Indeed, young one." She said, while bringing out a pretty teal colored bracelet made out of sea glass that rippled, as if it in itself was a wave._

_Rhode gulped, okay, so mythical water spirits were real, nothing to freak out about, surely. "And my father?" she asked, well begged, as thoughts plagued her mind. Like why didn't he come for her? Why didn't he raise her? Why did he leave her with her terrible relatives? Didn't he love her? She thought while blinking away some stray tears that she couldn't see in the water._

_"Your father is the Lord of the Sea, Poseidon."_

_Okay, yeah, now time to freak out._

_"That's bullshit." She answered, remembering the swear word she heard from her uncle._

_Thetis frowned at her, "Young lady, you should not speak with such foul language." She scolded, sounding oddly like one of the mothers she had heard on the cruise._

_Rhode ducked her head, "Sorry." She mumbled, like she always did when she was scolded by her aunt for doing something freaky._

_"You are a demigoddess, child. In fact, the first demigoddess Lord Poseidon has sired in ages." The salt water nymph said to the young child._

_Rhode's face shot up, looking surprised. She remembered hearing a lot of stories from the nice librarian about the sea god, he was in most of the stories she heard._

_"This, okay water women are real, but gods? Isn't that, I don't know, stories? Like something to explain a bad storm…but you're a Nereid, also a story…my head hurts." Rhode said while slapping her cheeks, "Got to be a dream. Wake up stupid Rhode, wake up!"_

_Thetis seemed to be amused by this, making Rhode scowl. The girl hated to be the butt of the joke, she was treated like one all her life._

_"The gods hold a law young hero." She said to Rhode, her voice taking on a sad tone, "A godly parent may not raise their child. But do not despair. Know that your father does love you, very much so." Thetis assured kindly. That made hope bubble up in Rhode's chest as Thetis pulled out a leather necklace, at the end of it was a pure white pearl, "A birthday gift along with a message, 'With love, to my Little Pearl'." The water nymph said handing it to Rhode's free hand._

_The demigoddess took the leather necklace with a shaky hand, never getting a gift before. She bit her lip as she felt tears well in her eyes and put it on. As she looked at the gleaming pearl floating around her neck, she had a teary smile on her face._

_"While the pearl is just a gift for the sake of your birth child, this, is the truth gift. One that will no doubt protect you as it had the previous owner during his challenges until his fall." Thetis said, sadness lacing her tone heavily as the bracelet turned into a big circular shield, no, calling this a mere shield was like calling the Mona Lisa a pre-k doodle._

_The shield was made out of a strange metal, similar to the color of bronze Rhode had seen in pictures at the library. The metal almost seemed to hum and glow, although in an instant it stopped, and so Rhode dismissed it as a trick of the light. On its face were beautiful engravings forming a flowing spiral, peering closer, Rhode could have sworn she had seen a story like the one depicted on the shield before._

_"This is the shield of my son, Achilles."_

_And then it hit Rhode, like lightning going through her system as she gaped, "That Achilles, the um, army killer guy? This is, wow…can I touch it?" she asked gushing, oh she loved hearing about the Battle of Troy. Achilles being her favorite of the characters, well now, real person to hear about since he was super strong and did what he wanted._

_Wait, her son? Well that explained why Thetis felt so motherly, she was one of the most protective mother's in the myths…can you even call them myths now? Bah, she was getting side-tracked, stupid ADHD._

_"Why? I gift it to you. It is yours to keep."_

_"…I feel faintish." Rhode said, fanning herself, even when she was in the cool ocean. Now that she thought about it, she didn't even feel wet, weird. Grr, again, side-tracked!_

_Thetis seemed smile at that, before it fell into a sad one, "After my son's death, I had taken his shield to remember him, but after the years passed, I had given it to Lord Poseidon to hold on for as it was too painful to even see it." She said with her chin a little high, "After my lord had asked if he could gift it to one of his children, I gave him my approval as long as I would be the one to grant it upon its new owner." She said, as the beautiful shield changed into the cuff bracelet once more, "For you." She said, handing it to Rhode._

_The young girl shakily took the famed shield of one of her favorite heroes, "Wow." She said in awe, slipping the bracelet onto her right wrist, tapped it, making the shield appeared locked on her wrist ready to protect her._

_"It will protect you well." She said with a small smile._

_"I, um, thank you very much lady Thetis." The green-eyed child said with an awkward bow of her head. Really, what was she supposed to say to something like this? History was strapped to her little wrist._

_"You are welcome, child, but now I must leave." Thetis said, "And you must survive."_

_"Survive?" Rhode asked, shaking out of her awe, "I don't understand?"_

_"The monsters my dear, the monsters are just as much alive as we continue to be." Thetis said in a soft, but stern tone, "You must do what you can to survive, as a child of the gods, they will hunt you; and will do everything they can to kill you. Only weapons such as that dagger," she said pointing to the blade clenched in her left hand, "and others of celestial bronze may kill them."_

_Panic rose once again in her. Monsters? There were a lot of scary monsters in the stories she had heard. Rhode looked at the woman, wanting to say something, but was halted at her next words._

_"Your father believes in you, child, and we of the sea do as well." She said in kindness as she mounted her rainbow fish-pony, "May the gods watch over you, daughter of the sea. I see great things in your future." She left with a smile on her face as Rhode just floated in the water, who was trying to figure out what to do._

_But, Rhode knew one thing._

_She was free._

**~Flashback end~**

And with that freedom, Rhode took her first brave step.

She ran away.

No more Dursleys, ever again.

After hearing that she wasn't really a Potter, since that was her stepfather's name, she started to use her mother's maiden name of Evans, to feel closer to her and to start fresh in the States. In the following months, she travelled, going from New York to Ohio to Kansas until she reached Arizona.

Over her time travelling, Rhode picked up a few rules for herself, through some trial and error.

First, water was her friend.

It healed her and she could breathe under it. Most times she slept underwater if she could. It made her stronger like you wouldn't believe when she was in it. And as long as she wanted to, she couldn't be wet or anything she touched. Ever see a lighter go off underwater? Didn't think so. But it was tough to learn her powers, she knew she had them, but it was a struggle to figure out how to use them. She ran into a few naiads and they helped her at times if she asked nicely. Rhode was very grateful to them.

Next, ponies. Best animal ever.

She could talk to them and they'd listen to her. Heck in Texas she lead a stampede of them to escape some monsters. They even showed her what plants could be eaten if she was ever out surviving in the wilderness. She even lived on a horse-training ranch for a few weeks, just to get a hot meal when a nice family let her help out. All hail the powers of the pony whisperer! It was going well until a monster attack though, so she had to run away.

Next, she learned how to steal.

She didn't like it, but she needed money. Of course she left the wallets or purses in a lost and found or with a store clerk and only took the cash in them. But she needed new clothes and just buy food in general if she hadn't stolen that. Sometime, if she wanted it enough, a wallet would levitated out of someone's pocket and float into her hands, like magic!

Next, she learned how cruel the world was.

She had seen people lie, cheat, and steal, but what took the cake for her was murder. She was resting behind a dumpster one night and turned to see two guys arguing and then one guy killed the other with a gun, four shots to the chest… She ran away after that. For the next couple of weeks she couldn't sleep either, the scene of the guy getting murdered playing over and over again.

Next, she learned how to run.

She was fine with that, running meant you live longer. She hid most of the time when a monster came about, and only fought on her terms, when she could trick it or get it near water.

Finally, and most importantly, she learned how to fight.

She couldn't run forever, she knew that, eventually a monster would corner her and it was do or die. And so she did do, and she did live. Her shield helped a lot and she was pretty decent with her knife.

* * *

Mount Olympus, home of the Greek Gods. The floating mountain that was secretly anchored to the Empire State building. Not that the general population noticed of course, a floating mountain above the most famous skyscraper in New York wasn't exactly normal. In the Hall of the Gods, where twelve thrones, each unique in their own way, and empty, stood. In the middle of the room was a figure.

The man was tall and built like a mountain, with long jet black hair that just brushed his shoulders. His brilliantly electric blue eyes were riveted on an image in front of him; while his serious and proud, but handsome, face was partially hidden by his neat salt and pepper beard.

Zeus, King of the gods, stared at the misty image of a young girl with jet black hair and sea green eyes who was resting against the side of a dilapidated shack.

The King of the Gods sucked in a deep nasal breath as his eyes narrowed dangerously. The smell of ozone began to permeate the air as a cylindrical object clenched in his hand began to crackle ominously.

"I would honestly still your hand, brother." A heated voice called out as Zeus turned to see his older brother, Poseidon.

He was dressed like a beach goer. Tropical shirt, tanned shorts, and leather sandals. He had jet black hair and a neatly trimmed beard. His sea green eyes that usually twinkled were stormy and dark, you could tell he smiled a lot with the sun crinkles by his eyes, but the king of the sea was anything but smiles at this moment as he held his mighty trident with a scowl on his face.

"You broke our sacred oath, Poseidon." Zeus stated tersely.

The sea god glared at him, and marched up to his younger brother, matching in the imposing godly height. He looked at his daughter, eyes softening for but a moment and waved his hand over the mist image as they hardened once more. The image was changed to a girl with spiky raven hair with electric blue eyes that wore a beaten leather jacket, she was standing outside of some mortal fast food restaurant.

Zeus tensed as Poseidon said, "My, I wonder who that could be?" he questioned in faux curiosity.

"You-!"

"Pheh," Poseidon spat out, his sea green eyes in fury, "God of justice, if there were a god of hypocrisy…" the king of the sea trailed off and glared at his brother, "I honestly thought we were beyond this, brother. Killing mere children."

"The Great Prophecy-"

"And your child is older, is she not?" Poseidon questioned Zeus back, getting narrowed stormy eyes, "Shall we be smiting her as well, my lord?" he asked, venom lacing his words as unknown to the girl in the image, the ground creaked as the water main beneath her started to build up pressure.

Zeus scowled.

"I do not wish to sink to your level, Zeus," Poseidon said chillingly. His powerful fingers clenching his trident as his knuckles whitened, the trident beginning to hiss with power as the air began to grow more humid. As if sensing a challenge, the object in Zeus' hand began to crackle and spark.

"But if you so much as touch my daughter, well, I will not be the only one grieving this night." He slammed the butt of his trident on the marble floor, shaking the Hall of the Gods to prove his point.

Silence reined in the halls until Zeus spoke with a frown.

"Fine then, we agree not to harm our respected children?"

"Agreed."

The gods stared off at one another until Poseidon left in a large twister of salt water, leaving a mess in the Hall of the Gods just to spite his little brother.

Zeus glared at the spot, "Amaltheia."

* * *

These past few days…Rhode had been following a feeling, though they haven't been the best days for her. It had started normally enough, wake up in whatever place she had decided to crash for the night, stretch, and head off. But this time it was that routine, with the addition of "run like hell, monster on my tail."

Ducking into a nearby park, she wondered for a moment what possessed her to do so, it was as if someone was whispering in her head to do so, but there was no voice. Weaving in and out of the trees, she heard a snap, one too big to be a twig. Gulping, she kept going. Making it out of the trees, hope swelled in her. A pond!

She had barely taken a step when the sound of something cutting the air filled her senses. Fudge. Her legs buckled, something crashing against them.

"Oof!"

Grunting, she spun her body to see what had hit her. A large branch. Weren't those things supposed to be stupid?

She heard the damn thing before she could see it. It came crashing out of the trees as it rushed her. Fumbling for her bracelet, she tried to summon it, but was all too slow.

"ARGH!" The pain, oh the blinding pain as her right shoulder and arm were crushed, the bones splintering audibly under its odorous foot.

"Yum, snack!" It crooned in its pathetic vocabulary. Lifting its leg, it seized her in its meaty left hand, her ribs groaning in protest as her spine creaked. Apparently deciding to savor the moment, it threw its head back and roared with laughter.

Gritting her teeth to keep from screaming out, Rhode manage to wiggle her dagger out of its sheath. Wrenching her arm out from under its fingers, she allowed herself a viscous tear-stained smile as she drove the blade into its hand, severing two fingers.

"GRAAH!" the monster wailed, dropping its makeshift club in the form of a large metal pipe, holding its hand with angry tears in its lone eye, "Stupid snack, you no attack!" it whined.

Disregarding its complaints entirely, Rhode hit the ground with a pained thud, the snow only just cushioning her fall. Groaning in agony, she crawled towards the pond whilst cradling her broken arm with tears in her eyes. Water. She needed water. Needed to heal.

"Where you going snack!" it bellowed in anger, trying to grab for her.

Rolling around with a scream, Rhode felt the familiar tug in her gut and focused on it; the icy snow surrounding her shaping itself into shard shards of ice. Whipping her good arm around, the ice obeyed her command, launching themselves at the monster, burying themselves in its eye and gouging out its sight.

"WAHH! GRRGH!" it bellowed more, using its one good hand to cover its now lost eye and stomped around in pain.

Rolling over once more, Rhode did her best to fight through the blinding pain as she crawled towards the pond once more.

"GRAH! You took eye! But me still smell you godling, me still hear!" it shouted loudly.

The black haired girl grunted moved closer to the pond, but her hand slipped and fell on her broken arm, letting out a loud gasp of pain.

"There you is!"

Rhode's eyes widened and she scrambled forward as best she could.

"Foo-oof!" it shouted as a grunt of pain and the slap of something impacting against flesh rang out.

Rhode didn't know what was going on, but as she continued to crawl. Then she saw a goat. And a grey glowing one at that, as it skipped across the pond, fleeing into the cover of the woods.

She shook her head viciously. Focus! Water, healing, kill monster. Focus!

There was some rustling from the woods and a shout of a girl rang out, "Hey! Leave her alone you bastard!"

It all happened so fast, she heard the crackling of electricity, the squelch of metal meeting flesh, a roar of pain, and the sound of dust falling.

Rhode heard the crunching padding of shoes against snow as they came to her in a fast pace, "Hey kid, you alive? Come on, say something?" the girl's voice rang out in slight panic.

"Water." Rhode croaked out.

"Damn, h-hold on, I got some nectar on me, hang on." The shaky voice said as Rhode felt her body rolled over and saw a pair of concerned electric blue eyes meet her own pained sea green eyes.

Rhode shook her head, "No. Water, heal, Poseidon." She managed to croak out through the pain as tears cascaded down her cheeks. Dear gods the pain. She could see black edging in at the corners of her vision.

The blue eyes, and freckles Rhode noticed, widened, "Poseidon?" the girl whispered in shock before she shook her head and quickly nodded, "Right, in the water. Can you even breathe in it? Wait, if you're his kid of course you could, duh." The girl said to herself.

Rhode felt the straps of her backpack being slid off of her arms, the other girl being extra careful after a hiss of pain. She could feel herself being lifted and looked up to see the mop of short raven hair of her rescuer.

The daughter of Poseidon soon sighed in relief as she felt the cool embrace of the water envelop her, paying not mind to the temperature despite the snow fluttering down around her to settle on the water's surface.

Peace filled her being as Rhode felt her broken bones and bruised ribs begin to heal. As she heeded Morpheus' call, her last coherent thought was as she idly wondered just who exactly this new girl was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now, for those of you worried about Andi, know that will start up after I do my daughter of Hades fic. Yes, I am going in order of Zeus, Poseidon, and then Hades.
> 
> Rhode book 1 will end after year three. The school years of Hogwarts will be condensed greatly except year one since it helps establish the Wizarding World. So don't think I am doing all seven years for one book, that'd be crazy.
> 
> Next, I would like to give a big shout out to Seigfried01 for the beta of this chapter. You my friend, are a miracle worker.
> 
> Now please review, no flames, and peace off.


	2. Prologue: Adventure

**Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson or Harry Potter.**

**The Unrelenting Frozen Seas: The Journey**

**Prologue: Adventure**

**Beta: Siegfried01**

**Edited: 11/9/14**

* * *

Rhode was floating, time held no meaning for her, nor did she recall how long she had lain there; but what she did know was that she had this strange desire to remain in the void, to stay there, away from the trials and tribulations of the world. Where she could be free.

Just as she was about to sink back into the welcome nothingness, a voice stopped her. It wasn't as smooth and soft as Thetis', it was rougher, less perfect and more human. _"Rhode, Rhode. My daughter, you must wake up! Wake up!"_

Gasping as she was torn abruptly from her slumber, Rhode began to swim back up. Breaking the surface of the water, a cold draft cut across her face, a reminder of the presence of winter.

"It's about time, you were in there for over half an hour already. Anymore and I'd have to decide whether to leave or not."

Whipping around, Rhode was startled to see the girl from before, sat perched on a flat stone overlooking her pond. Her eyes were the first thing Rhode noticed, the intense electric blue gaze boring into her own. Then it was her hair, the raven black strands contrasting sharply with her pale complexion and bright eyes. The choppy mop, along with her heavy stare, meshed to convey a sort of feral strength, not a strength of the physical sort, but of her strength of will. The bridge of her nose was dotted with a splash of freckles. Her torso was protected by a Blink 182 band shirt, partially obscured by a tattered black leather jacket dotted with buttons reminiscent of some kind of punk rock genre. On her legs were a pair of loose black jeans that seemed slightly worn, the grass stains on the knees displaying for the world to see the girl's active lifestyle. Finally to top it all off were the black steel-toed leather boots. All in all, the girl was taller than Rhode and her features were sharper with less baby fat which made Rhode place her at a few years older than herself, although that could also simply have been due to an active lifestyle and better eating.

Despite all the eye catching qualities the person in front of her possessed, what really caught Rhode's attention was what said person gripped in her left hand. A glittering bronze spear with a black shaft, black, why was she not surprised it was black. Currently the girl's piercing gaze was preoccupied with surveying the area as she stood to attention. In her other hand was, strangely enough, a half-eaten granola bar. As if on cue, the girl took a bite out of the Granola bar. Seemingly satisfied with what she saw, her spear collapsed into a can of mace which was pocketed.

As Rhode watched as the other girl took another bite out of her Granola bar, she jerked in realization as she remembered that she hadn't a bite to eat in hours; as if catching her train of thought, her stomach rumbled.

"Take a picture, it'll last longer." The girl grunted out amidst the crumbs of her Granola bar, her pixie-like features screaming "defensive."

Rhode winced, "Sorry."

Pocketing the now empty Granola bar wrapper, the girl dusted her hands off as she got up with a grunt. Shooting Rhode a once over, she rolled her eyes. "You going to stay in there? Daughter of the King of the Sea or not, I don't think it'll keep you from getting chills."

"Oh, yeah, right." Wading out to the banks of the pond, Rhode emerged utterly bone dry. The older girl's eyebrow arched, and she appeared something akin to mildly impressed, her mouth never opened to comment though.

"Thank you, for saving me." Rhode said, but looked downtrodden. She had survived well on her own, but she ended up needing to be save. It made her sulk.

Shrugging uncaringly, the older girl eyed Rhode once more before she offered her hand stiffly. "No prob. Name's Thalia, yours?"

"Rhode Evans." Shooting Thalia a glance, she came to a decision. Taking the older girl's hand gingerly, she withheld a wince as her hand was enveloped in a grip much stronger than her own. When Rhode's hand was released she immediately walked over to her bag, picking up her dagger where it leaned against the side of the bag. As she sheathed it, the metal retreating with a hiss, she felt Thalia's gaze boring into the back of her skull.

"Why…are you looking at me, like that?"

"I was guided here, by Amaltheia."

Noticing Rhode's nonplussed expression, Thalia decided to elaborate slightly. "My dad's nursing goat. The glowing fuzz ball."

Rhode looked stunned, "Y-Your dad's Zeus?"

Thalia's shoulders seemed to sag ever so slightly before it was gone. Holding out a hand, the two girls watched as her fingers were enveloped in blue electricity, sparks jumping and arching from digit to digit.

"Yeah, and you, are a Daughter of Poseidon. Or at least, that's what you said."

Rhode nodded slowly, "Yeah…so that makes us-"

"Cousins." Thalia finished for her as her weighty gaze pinned Rhode in place, her eyes travelling up and down Rhode's slight frame.

The word cousin wasn't really Rhode's…favorite one. Was she going to bully her like Dudley did? Rhode hoped not, then she'd would have to hit Thalia with a wave from the pond. She didn't take being pushed around well anymore.

Thalia moved to pick up her duffle bag by the handles and hefted it over her shoulder. Then the daughter of Zeus looked around, "Come on, we've been here for too long. Another monster might come." Her piece said, the daughter of the sky whirled around and began striding away.

For just a moment, Rhode entertained thoughts of leaving, she had come to enjoy the solitude her travels had brought her. But then reality kicked in. Eventually she'd run into another monster like that Cyclops, only this time Thalia wouldn't be there, and then she'd probably actually die; and then there was the fact that Thalia…intrigued her, for a lack of a better word. As the only other demigod, well demigoddess to be specific, she had met, Rhode was naturally curious about this child of Zeus.

"H-Hey, wait up!"

Pausing by the entrance gate of the park, Thalia waited for her cousin to catch up, idly spinning the canister of mace as she did. When Rhode caught up she immediately set off, although this time at a noticeably slower pace. "Like I said. Amaltheia guided me here. I met you. It has to mean something. That's how this whole god stuff works, they don't exactly do stuff for no reason you know?"

Thinking back on just why she had come to the park, Rhode frowned. "I…I had this weird feeling; almost as if I had to come here."

Humming in thought, Thalia's answer was slow, as if she was taking the time to pick the right words. "Hmm…do you think…our dads wanted us to meet? It would explain Amaltheia, and your weird feelings."

Pondering the possibility, Rhode's eyebrows crashed together as she thought. Was that feeling her dad? It did feel as if her hands were being held by much larger ones, some phantom presence guiding her to the park. Either way, what she did feel was warm…and safe. Like how she did when she was in water.

"Hello? Anyone home in there, Bubblehead? You went silent on me."

Rhode baulked at the new nickname. "What'd you call me?" Shooting her cousin her best venomous look, her mood darkened when her best glare held no effect.

"Bubblehead. You're the sea god's kid, right? It fits." Thalia's smirk irked Rhode.

"My name is Rhode, you, you P-Porcupinehead!"

"Porcupinehead? Scathing. I'm so wounded." Thalia shot back, "What are you? Seven?"

"I'm eight and a half! How old are you?"

"I just turned ten."

"That's hardly older." Rhode pouted.

"Still double digits."

Rhode brooded at that. Thalia had brought up a good point, at least in a kid's perspective. Double digits carried a lot of clot.

"So like I said, what do you think about our dads wanting us to meet?"

The welcome change in topic snapped Rhode out of her funk. "I think. Maybe? I don't really know, I-I've never met my dad before."

"Funny, same here." Thalia grunted as they turned down the street.

Rhode's stomach growled again and she went for the pack of Skittles she carried.

Seeing her food, Thalia's eyebrows retreated into her hairline. "You're going to eat candy? Now?"

"I haven't eaten since lunch." Rhode retorted weakly, it was honestly all the food she had on her.

Thalia shuffled through the side pouch of her duffle bag. She pulled out another Granola bar and handed it to Rhode. "There. It might taste a little bland, but it'll be more filling."

"Thank you." Rhode mumbled out from behind the Granola bar as she immediately began to wolf it down.

"Meh, I stole a whole box of them." Thalia shrugged as she patted her duffle bag affectionately.

"Oh."

They made it to a fork in the street, pausing right there.

"So, what do you say?" Thalia asked her, "Want to travel together?" the older girl said it casually, but Rhode could hear an under tone of hope.

Rhode chewed her lip. Two demigods working together. It made sense and her dad, she just knew it, guided her here to meet Thalia. Like Zeus did with his daughter to meet Rhode.

Her dad had been looking after her and if he went to all this just for the two to meet, then she would trust Poseidon.

Taking a breath, Rhode said, "I'd really like that." She held out her right hand.

Thalia smirked and took the hand, shaking it, "Nice to meet you, Rhode."

Rhode smiled up at her, "Nice to meet you, Thalia."

It was the start of a beautiful friendship.

* * *

It had been a week so far since the two demigoddess started traveling together.

Rhode learned that Thalia was from Los Angeles and had a terrible mother and ran away. And in turn Rhode had told her about her life. Thalia assured her that she wouldn't be like Dudley, getting the British girl to smile at that, liking the fact she had a nice cousin now.

Currently they were camping in some abandoned toy factory slightly away from the main area of Show Low, Arizona as the city readied itself for the New Year's celebration. Setting down her duffle bag next to some old boxes, Thalia perched herself against one of them, sighing in relief as her back popped as she stretched.

Fishing out her can of mace, she settled comfortably against the box. "I'll take first watch. Oh, and I'll wake you up for the fireworks," she added.

"But it's only like nine." Rhode whined; she wasn't even a little tired!

"You need all the sleep you can get for your watch." Thalia shot back.

"Okay." The green eyed girl pouted and set her backpack down to use as a pillow. She wasn't going to fall asleep in a snap, so while she waited she removed some of the harder things in her bag.

"I've been meaning to ask," Thalia's voice startled her, "What do you keep looking at?"

She knew Rhode would sometimes pull out pictures of stuff, so she didn't try to pry, but Thalia was a bit curious.

"…Promise not to laugh?"

"Sure." Thalia nodded with a smile as she sat next to Rhode. The girl showed her pictures of a lot of different places, all of which included Rhode. She even some postcards of the States the daughter of the sea had been to.

Rhode flushed, "I, um, like taking pictures." She mumbled.

"Hey, that's a nice hobby." the sky daughter shot her friend a supportive smile.

"It's not just that," Rhode added quickly and the look in her almond shaped eyes gave Thalia pause. They looked so big, so wide and innocent. You'd think with the life they live Rhode would have lost that by now, and most people would've, but not her it seemed, "I never got to travel, ever, so…" she fidgeted and gave this big smile to Thalia, "When I get older, I wanna see everything!"

Thalia blinked as she rested her chin on her knee while hugging her folded leg, "You wanna travel the world?"

Rhode nodded enthusiastically, her messy black hair shaking wildly. "I want to go everywhere and take lots and lots of pictures!" She proclaimed proudly.

Once again, Thalia couldn't help but marvel at how innocent Rhode was and how her eyes just glimmered with life and excitement. She just rambled on about all the places she wanted to go.

"So?" Rhode asked Thalia, who shook her head.

"Huh?"

Rhode puffed up her cheeks, "I asked if you wanted to come with me, silly!"

Thalia let out a small laughed, "Sure, sounds fun." She answered with a kind smile.

Rhode held up her pinkie, "Pinkie promise?" her tone was serious. A pinkie promise was a super serious deal.

"Sure." said Thalia as her smile widened and wrapped her pinkie around Rhode's as they shook on it.

The older girl let go of the pinkie and ruffled Rhode's long hair, "Now, get some sleep, Rho. I'll wake you later."

"O-Okay," the girl nodded with surprise at the nickname and put her pictures away. She rested her head on her backpack and said, "Night, Thals." Giving her own nickname.

"Night." Thalia answered with a smile to the nickname. She watched Rhode lull to sleep making soft snores with a tiny smile on her face and started to drool a bit.

Yeah, Rhode drooled in her sleep. Thalia found that out the hard way when the younger girl slept on her shoulder and got drool all over her leather jacket.

Man was that annoying.

But still, drool or not, Thalia was glad she met Rhode.

* * *

It had been a few months, and some monsters, since the two friends had met. It was late June as they hung around Atlanta, Georgia.

They ended up following Amaltheia, Zeus' nursing goat, into a nest of monsters along the way and killed them. Turned out that the monsters had a stash of celestial bronze weapons. They bundled up the weapons and stashed them in a little safe house they made along the Chattahoochee River.

Best part was that Rhode found a Pez dispenser.

And no, it wasn't the best part just because it held candy. Flicking up the Donatello Ninja Turtle head made it turn into a six foot celestial bronze tipped spear with a brown shaft. She finally had a weapon with some reach. That didn't mean she was going to stop using her dagger, it was still very useful after all; having come in handy, both as a general purpose tool, as well as a backup weapon many times. Rhode lost count of the number of times it had saved her life.

Currently the girls were, once again, hanging around a park.

"Coast clear?" Thalia asked Rhode as the younger girl nodded, "Good." She mumbled and pressed a crackling finger against a Coca Cola vending machine, right next to the change return button. Licking her lips, Thalia sent a good shock into the machine's system. Almost instantly the machine began to spark and begin to spit out quarters.

Rhode opened her backpack and let the coins fall in. They were short on money again and with Thalia's ability with static, this was one of their main ways of gaining income. Rhode's part was pulling change out of wishing fountains.

After a minute or so, "I think it's out." Rhode said and Thalia nodded.

"Yeah," the older girl said, "Let's get out of here." And so they hurried out of the park, making sure they left as quickly as possible, just in case someone saw them messing with the vending machine. Turning the corner, they found themselves in a street full of shops and restaurants.

"Let's hit up a music store or something, listen to some free tunes." Rhode said. Over the past few months, Thalia had been teaching her about music since the daughter of the sea knew absolutely nothing about it.

Of course, Thalia was more than happy to brainwa-er, educate Rhode on proper music.

Seriously, Green Day rocked so hard. White Stripes, Blink 182, Kid Rock, and Red Hot Chili Peppers were just the best.

"Sounds like a plan," Thalia smiled. Rhode had really changed since they started traveling together. She was so meek and quiet, but the daughter of Poseidon was really coming out of her shell. She was more confident in her skills as a demigod too, less willing to run and hide from a monster when she could win.

Rhode just need the right push was all.

"Afterwards we should have another duel." Rhode thought aloud, "We haven't seen any monsters in a week."

"So we don't get rusty." Thalia finished for her with a smile as they entered the music store.

"Exactly!"

Thalia walked up to the free tune station and put on the headphones while sifting through the choices as Rhode looked through some CD's.

"I think we should practice our powers too." Rhode said.

"Huh?" Thalia freed one of her ears.

"Our powers, practice them."

"Why? You're good with your water powers."

"Well, maybe decent, but I wanna try the others. I mean, we got to have other powers. We just have to try and figure them out." The child of the sea said, feeling rather adventurous.

Thalia rested the headphones around her neck and raised a brow questioningly, "You sure? I mean, Poseidon is what again? The Earthshaker and Stormbringer? You really wanna try messing with the powers of someone that carries those titles in a city?"

"…Good point." Rhode admitted with a pout, shoulders slumped. "But your dad's not just about lightning. I mean, sky lord's kid, hello. You probably got wind powers too."

Thalia shrugged, "I like my electricity."

"I bet you could fly with wind powers though." Rhode mused, looking through some My Bloody Valentine.

"No." Thalia said flatly and put the headphones back on.

Rhode then nodded in remembrance, Thalia was daftly afraid of heights. Rhode had wanted to go on a Ferris wheel when they snuck into a carnival and dragged Thalia along, begging for her to join her. But Thalia told her that she just couldn't no matter how much Rhode pouted at her with her big green eyes.

The daughter of the sea could understand herself not liking heights with her parentage and all. But for the daughter of the sky to not liking heights? It was kind of funny to be honest.

They listened to some more music and headed out of the city to hit the road and train. The sun shined brightly on the beautiful day along with a gentle breeze.

It was so peaceful that for a moment Rhode forgot all about the monsters and the hardships and allowed herself to imagine, just for a moment, that she was a normal kid hitting the streets with her best friend. However, like all good things, it had to end and reality set it. Then she remembered just why she couldn't be a normal kid. Said reminder came in a very…unfortunate way.

In the form of these annoying pigeon-like monsters with bronze beaks and pointy feathers that attacked them in a whirlwind of black and gold.

Thalia figured them to be Stymphalian birds, the birds her brother Hercules had killed in one of his labors.

As the girls stood back to back, Thalia gritted her teeth as sparks arced off her frame and the smell of ozone began to permeate the air. Firing a bolt of blue static from her fingertips, she knocked one of the birds out of the air, the stench of burnt flesh and singed feathers accompanying it. But for every one of the damn things she shot down, two more took its place, it was like that damn hydra! Just more annoying!

Spinning to the right, Rhode's eyes widened as she instinctively hefted her shield to protect her and Thalia's torsos, she allowed herself a sigh of relief as the razor sharp feathers bounced off of the shield like foam darts.

Bisecting one of the birds that came too close, she growled. "We're surrounded!" Almost as if to prove her point, another bird swooped down at her. Stabbing it out of the air with her spear, she nearly laughed at Thalia's response. Nearly.

"Yeah, I sort of noticed that little detail!"

As Thalia's frame began to spark once more, Rhode jumped to the left, her shield already in position to prevent Thalia from turning into a pincushion. As Rhode felled more and more of the birds by her spear and dagger, she noticed her cousin…growling.

As the daughter of Zeus was forced to duck under yet another barrage of feathers, she felt a breeze just pass her cheek and a slice was heard. Turning to inspect the damage, electric blue eyes widened, before narrowing as a dangerous glint entered those orbs.

The bastards ripped her jacket!

"That. Is. It!" Erupting into a shower of sparks, Thalia began to fire more and more static bolts as Rhode was forced to roll away for fear of getting fried.

Griping her spear tightly, Thalia roared as she swung the weapon, its tip crackling with electricity. As the spear moved, arcs of static streaked out of the tip, making a giant net of electricity. The wide arc of the spear caught nearly all of the demonic pigeons, zapping them all into a whirlwind of gold dust.

Out of the three or four dozen that had attacked the girls, now only half a dozen remained. Apparently deciding to cut their losses, the remaining birds quickly retreated, leaving the bronze beaks and razor sharp feathers of their fallen comrades lying in the grass.

Just as the rest of the birds vanished, Thalia began to pant, collapsing to her knees. She was forced onto her back as Rhode tackled her in a giant bear hug, sending them tumbling across the ground.

"That was amazing!" Rhode exclaimed, awed by the move as her sea green eyes twinkled in admiration.

Thalia grunted from the impact and was about to tell Rhode to get off, but hearing her singing praise just made the older girl smile. She propped herself on her elbows and said, "Yeah, I know I am. Can I get up now?"

Rhode flushed and got off her friend, "Sorry, but still! That was amazing. Wish I could do something like that." She lamented.

Thalia frowned and cuffed Rhode's shoulder, "Hey, you got those water powers and that horse thing." She said, standing up and pulling up her friend with her.

"Yeah," Rhode said rather dryly, "Water powers." She looked around, there wasn't any water nearby as far as the eye could see. Just buildings from the distant city. "Not seeing a herd of horses either."

"Start carrying a water jug?"

"…You are hilarious. No wonder you're named after the muse of comedy." Rhode said with a dull glare, getting a grin from Thalia.

"I try." The daughter of Zeus said, "Come on," she looked around, "Let's get out of here." She said, changing her spear back into her mace canister.

"Right." Her young friend nodded, getting her spear to change into her Pez Dispenser.

They grabbed their backpacks and hit the road once again.

* * *

Snarling in annoyance as she sidestepped the hobo charging her, Thalia seriously debated killing the damn mortal. The idiot had apparently thought two girls were an easy target as they searched for shelter and jumped them with a knife.

Thalia was not happy. Seeing her cousin's expression, Rhode almost felt sorry for the poor knife hobo. Almost.

Punching their assailant in the ribs, her fist fizzing with electricity, Thalia's smirk turned vicious as he screamed, the power of the currents sending him soaring into a nearby wall. Marching over to his crumpled form, Thalia ripped the pocket knife from his hand, disregarding his groans entirely. She didn't hit him with that much of a charge, so he'd be fine. Even if he wasn't, it wasn't as if anyone would care anyway.

"Next time," she snarled out, glaring furiously, "think twice before mugging kids." Brandishing the blade at his gut, she noticed a wet spot on his pants as the stench of urine made its way to her nose. "Or you might just get gutted. Got it?"

The unfortunate man nodded frantically, trying to appease this goddess of death before him.

"Glad we understand each other then." Thalia nodded with a smile that was both incredible bright and utterly fake before driving her elbow into his face, breaking his nose as the cartilage was crushed, knocking him out cold.

Rhode whistled, "That was awesome."

"I know." Thalia smirked, tossing up the blade as gravity returned it to her opened palm, "And I got a free knife. A win-win in my books."

Rhode giggled, "You're just jealous I have one."

"Am not." Thalia denied as they went to find shelter.

"Are too."

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Argh! I'm not having this conversation with you."

"Alright, but you so are."

"Rhode!"

* * *

It was July first.

Thalia had been acting strange. When Rhode would ask, she would just wave it off, saying she was tired. But her electric blue eyes were puffy like she had been crying or something.

Thalia was rarely sad. Angry, oh sure. But not sad. It worried Rhode.

It was even stranger when she used some of their money to buy a cheap cupcake and candles as they went to a park, and she set it on a swing with the four candles on it. She used their lighter to ignite a single candle and used it to light the rest.

Thalia moved to a nearby bench, just watching the candles flickered and the wax melt.

Rhode sat next to her and just held her hand, not knowing what to do for her best friend. Thalia didn't even seem to notice and just squeezed it tightly.

What happened next startled Rhode.

"Happy birthday to you," Thalia sang in a soft tone, "Happy birthday to you, happy birthday Jason, happy birthday to you." She finished in a pained whisper.

A stray tear blinked from Thalia's eye. They just sat for a while in silence as the wax dripped all over the cupcake.

It was…surreal to Rhode, seeing Thalia like this. To the daughter of Poseidon, the daughter of Zeus was just such a strong person. It was why Rhode looked up to her. Wanting to be more like her.

But now? Rhode wondered what else had happened to her best friend.

* * *

The month passed by quickly and it was July thirty-first, Rhode's birthday.

Rhode was busy rubbing her arm, "Was that really necessary?"

"Yes."

"On my birthday?"

"Birthday punches are important." Thalia affirmed with a sage-like nod.

"You Yanks are so weird," the daughter of the sea muttered.

Thalia rummaged through her duffle bag and procured as brown paper bag, "Catch," she said, tossing it to Rhode.

The younger girl fumbled with it in the air until it was clasped between her small fingers, "Huh?"

"Duh, it's you're B-day." Thalia grinned at her, "You thought I wouldn't get you something?"

"But how did you get it? I mean, we only have about-"

"Doesn't matter." Thalia cut her off about their money issues, "Open it." She ushered eagerly.

Rhode did and she saw a beanie. It was black and had green stripes going horizontally around it, like a funky target symbol, "Wow." She said with a smile and turned to Thalia, beaming, "This is the second time I ever got a birthday gift!" she cheered and hugged Thalia around the waist tightly, "Thank you." She mumbled in the hug.

Thalia smiled down at her and hugged back, "No prob, Rho. Now let's put it on," the girl did and Thalia's smile grew, "There, you look rocking, girl," she winked as Rhode had a giddy look on her, "Plus, it helps with your hair." She added since Thalia had tried cutting it short a few times with Rhode's dagger, but somehow it just grew back seconds later.

Rhode tucked some of her long hair under the hat as her face was alit with happiness.

This was the best birthday she ever had.

Even if her arm was sore.

* * *

They were currently in Chicago, Illinois. The early September air was still hot but cooling down.

The girls had stopped for a drink run. Thalia got a Coke while Rhode went for some chocolate milk, the drink of champions.

They were walking down the street until a situation occurred.

There was a lot of screaming, crashing, and oddly mooing.

The demigods moved to check it out and dropped their drinks, stunned at what they were seeing.

"That is one _big_ cow." Rhode muttered, wearing a chocolate milk mustache.

"Understatement." Thalia added with a blink of her blue eyes, her ADHD making her idly wonder what kind of burger that would make.

The cow, or rather bull, was as tall and long as a bus, twice as wide. It's beautiful hide was as pure as snow, its long menacing horns as black as the asphalt it stomped on, making webs of cracks with dark gleaming hooves. It had a hotdog cart lanced through its horn as it exhaled heatedly through its gold ringed nose, rattling the jewelry.

The mortals were running away or retreating into the surrounding buildings (who knew what they were seeing). The bull wasn't looking very picky on what it destroyed as it mindlessly stomped around and bellowed out its noisy moos as it sniffed out the demigods.

"What monster is that?" Thalia questioned, her mace canister turning into her spear.

Rhode thought briefly, white hide, rampaging bull, only one thing came to mind, "I think…it's the Cretan Bull. Dad made it for the king of Crete to sacrifice to himself, but the king kept it because it was too beautiful to slay. Later Hercules had to capture it for one of his labors and then let it loose and it moved to Marathon, destroying the countryside until Theseus killed it."

"How did you know all that?" Thalia asked in surprise.

"I know a lot of my dad's and brothers stories."

"Of course you do." Thalia rolled her eyes with a smile at how proud her friend looked, "Seems Chicago is his new stomping grounds." Thalia said, making Rhode pause, glancing a look at her.

"The Chicago Bull?" she dryly asked, Thalia gave a snorting laugh.

"Right, bad joke. But damn, MJ would love a mascot like that."

"Got it all out of your system?"

"Yep." Thalia said with a lopsided grin before she grew serious, "Does it have a weakness?" she asked as the bull just crushed a Honda Civic into a UPS building.

"No, Hercules wrestled it into submission…Hey, Thalia, you wanna-"

"Not happening." the daughter of Zeus said in a flat tone.

"Thought so." Rhode nodded, "Theseus just killed it, so no weaknesses I can think of."

"Great." Thalia frowned as she clenched her spear tightly, trying to think what to do.

They didn't get much time to do that as they ducked under the hotdog cart flung at them. They turned to see condiments scattered around with bits of hotdog everywhere. The stomping of a hoof drew their ADHD attentive minds back to the beast, who was snorting with black beady eyes locked onto them.

Thalia's cry to scatter was nearly blocked out by thundering of hooves as the girls split dived apart, the bull tackling a Mustang with its lanced head ornaments, skidding the car down the vacant street.

Thalia aimed her spear as it crackled to life at the tip, firing a bolt of static. It landed a blow on its flank, leaving a large blackened scar on the once spotless white hide.

"MURRG!"

"I think you made it mad!" Rhode told her friend as she brought out her own spear and peeked out the Ford she huddled behind for cover.

"I figured!" the daughter of Zeus retorted as she fired another round, but the bull powered through the hit and charged at her, "Shit!" Thalia cried out and quickly fired a static bolt through a window of a Cards and Gifts store. She leaped through broken window, avoiding the ploughing dash but roughly landed through the candy counter.

Rhode looked around, trying to find something to help and her face lit up. Down the street was a fire hydrant, "Thank you city safety regulations," she praised and dashed for it, "Hey!" she called out, "Over here you poor excuse for a cow!" she cried out to the monster, drawing its beady stare with flaring nostrils.

"Rhode!" Thalia cried out with a few Gummy Bears in her hair, wrestling a huge shelf off her leg to go help.

As she ran, Rhode concentrated hard on the bright red hydrant with a tug in her gut. The hydrant started to shake violently and blasted off like a bottle rocket, the water it held back gushing like a geyser. Rhode jumped through it, getting wet and turned around on the balls of her feet and focused the water until it bent. It splattered the bull in the face mid-charge with its pressure, blinding the monster.

Rhode could see its movements far sharper now and jumped out of the way as the bull skidded into another building entrance. The hydrant finally landed on the hood of a Porsche, the alarm flaring. Rhode then threw her spear as the bull past her and paled as she missed and the shafted weapon imbedded itself into the bovine's right shoulder.

The bull let out a bellow of maddened pain and broke further through the window it crashed into and turned to glare menacingly at Rhode. Hooves stomping towards her as she looked at the geyser and an idea hit her. She edged behind it as the bull's face broke through the spraying water, mooing in fury as spittle flung from its mouth.

Rhode concentrated even more than before, the sidewalk exploded with concrete and water as the stronger pressure literally flung the bull off balance and onto its side, crushing the nearby parking meter. The daughter of Poseidon drew her dagger.

As the monster was moving back to its feet, the green eyed girl lunged with a cry. The child of the sea stabbed it in its large neck and dragged it down as hard as she could against the thick hide, slitting its throat. It released a strangled moo and the monster fell to dust.

Its flawless snow white hide (now the size of a normal bull) was left behind. The water geyser continued to gush and rain on Rhode as she breathed heavily, adrenaline fading. She fell onto her butt, staring at the soaked hide, utterly stunned.

She'd never beaten a monster that big before on her own.

Her right hand rested on her still rapidly beating heart, hardly noticing Thalia running up to her, hands on her shoulders, "Rhode? Rhode! Are you okay?" she questioned quickly, her tone laced with worry as she inspected her friend, getting drenched in the water.

Rhode blinked her green eyes and turned to look right into Thalia's blue ones, "Um, yeah, just, a little overwhelmed is all." Her victory still bouncing around in her chest as happiness of her progress set in.

Thalia looked at the hide and turning to smile at her friend, "Rhode that was amazing!" she praised but turned stern just as fast, "Don't scare me like that again, okay?" Gods, give a girl a heart attack why don't you?

Rhode just nodded numbly, "O-Okay," she said and got up as they moved away from the raining water. After picking up her spear and the hide, the two moved away fast as the police sirens rang in the air. As kids living on the streets, they didn't really trust the cops since they might end up in some orphanage or juvie.

Rhode willed Thalia dry and they ran away, ending up at the beach of Lake Michigan. The waves beat softly against the silky white sand of the famed third coast.

"So what are you going to do with that?" Thalia asked. Rhode was still clutching the hide of the monster, the sand making a squelching sound each time they stepped on it.

"Delivering something long overdue," Rhode answered as they made it to the base of the shore, water spraying the air. She tossed the hide into the waters, floating atop a wave and was pulled further out from the rip current.

"Hi dad," the green eyed girl greeted with a little wave, her feet shifting on the noisy sand. "I just," Rhode pursed her lips, thinking of what to say, "I just wanted to give this to you. I know I haven't met you yet, I don't even know anything about you but stories…but, I just want to say thank you." The daughter of the sea said sincerely, "Thank you for watching over me and bringing me here to the States," she looked at her best friend and took her hand, "I made an amazing friend who keeps me out of trouble, most of the time. I'm learning lots of new stuff. So, I just wanted to return the favor, dad." Rhode said softly, "I know you should've gotten this the first time, so I thought you might like it."

A foamy wave washed over the hide, and it was gone. Lake Michigan looked even clearer and brighter in the glistening sun. Rhode swore for a moment she saw a face, but the waters looked too shifty to tell. It felt like it was smiling at her, which made warmth fill the daughter of the sea's heart.

Thalia smiled at her friend, squeezing her hand, "That was cool."

"Yeah," Rhode said, lost in a thousand mile stare, "I hope I can meet him someday." Her voice was a soft whisper, as soft as the waves before them.

"You will," the daughter of Zeus said in support. She honestly wasn't sure, but Thalia had an inkling that her friend would. Someday.

Rhode gave her a small smile.

* * *

Rhode stirred, her body restless as she slept.

It was October thirty-first, Halloween night.

The girls were holed up in a public bathroom in one of the local parks. Considering tonight, they thought it best to lay low. What with all the costumes and the crowds, it was anyone's best guess who was monster and mortal. Better safe than sorry after all.

"No, no." the daughter of Poseidon whimpered, eyes screwed shut and sweat trickled her brow.

He stalked closer, a vile look on his face. Twisted, distorted, dark.

She moved between them, shielding her, pleading to the man.

There were words exchanged before he laughed.

It ended with a sickly green light.

"NO!" Rhode screamed, her eyes flew open.

"Hey." Thalia said, who had been on watch, and grabbed her, "Rhode, calm down!"

"No!" the daughter of Poseidon wailed, "Please!"

Thalia wrapped her arms around Rhode as she thrashed, "Calm down!" she said, but her cousin kept fighting her.

"Please! Don't!"

Thalia had to actually give her a tiny zap, making Rhode yelp. Wild green eyes cleared, darting around frantically until they met electric blue. Rhode started to shake, breaking down into sobs as she buried her face into Thalia's chest.

"Hey, hey. It was only a dream, Rhode. A bad dream." Thalia crooned, stroking her hair gently. But Rhode shook her head.

"No, it wasn't." she hiccupped.

Thalia frowned, "Was it a dream or a demigod dream?" She asked, since demigods sometimes had weird dreams.

"I-It was a dream I get sometimes. But it was much slower, far clearer." Rhode choked out, shedding more tears.

Thalia's arms tightened, "What did you see?" she asked softly, getting a sniffle.

"There was this guy. Albino, bald, he was in some black bath towel, cackling with a stick in his hand." Rhode told Thalia, "He was saying: 'Give me the girl, give me the girl!' My Mum, s-she said no, begging him to take her instead." The young girl started to choke, "He pointed the stick at her, there was this green light an-and-!" she started to cry, "He killed her! He killed my Mum!" she sobbed out, Thalia holding her tightly, rocking her.

"It's okay, shhh, it's okay." The daughter of Zeus soothed, trying to calm Rhode down. She honestly didn't know what to say about that dream. What could you? "You're safe."

Rhode blinked those big green eyes at her, looking so vulnerable. Thalia felt a pang in her chest at the sight, making her hold Rhode tighter. "I won't let go, Rhode. I'm right here, I promise."

Rhode let out the rest of her tears, Thalia refusing to let her go for the rest of Hallow's eve.

* * *

It was December twenty second, Thalia's birthday. The two girls were in their shelter for the night in Oklahoma. They pulled out some snacks they stole and were laughing and telling stories to pass the time.

"Here," Rhode said as she pulled out an envelope and handed it to Thalia with a giddy look in her green shaded eyes.

Thalia opened it and pulled out a piece of paper, she unfolded the paper and it was a sketch of herself. She had to admit, despite being nine years old, Rhode had some talent. Seemed like the daughter of Zeus had a budding little artist with her.

The picture was as said, Thalia, but cartoonish. She was pointing her spear to the sky with a confident smirk on her face. Lightning was striking down behind her as an electric aura was around her crackling.

Thalia pulled Rhode into a half-hug, resting her chin atop Rhode's head, admiring the picture, "Rhode, this is- just wow, Rhode. Thank you." She kissed the top of her head. It was such a good picture.

"I think the lesson at that Y-Center was really helpful." Rhode said shyly, being modest.

When they were staying in Wisconsin, the two hung out in a Rec Center for mortal kids. There was this after school arts program that peeked Rhode's interest. Thalia got her in with some talking to the instructor, who was more than willing to let another join in.

They did sketching and even graffiti art outside of the building, like some big group thing that even Thalia joined in. She had never seen Rhode having such fun with something and was always supportive of her artistic side.

"Without a doubt." Thalia grinned, "When are you going to let me see your other stuff?"

Rhode flushed, "No." she waved her hand, "No way are you seeing those. They aren't that good."

Thalia laughed, "Okay okay, but you have to promise me you'll show them to me someday, alright?"

"We'll see~" Rhode returned slyly.

"What?" Thalia pouted, "I'll get them out of you!" She mock threatened and started to tickle Rhode.

"Ah! Hey, haha, stop!" Rhode laughed out as Thalia tickle tortured her, "You know that, haha, I hate tickles!" she said in peals of laughter out as Thalia laughed too.

"I know. Now show me!" Thalia smiled in triumph.

"Never!" Rhode exclaimed in giggling defiance.

"Well see about that!"

Rhode reached her hand out, firing a bombardment of Skittles at Thalia.

"Hey! Using candy is unfair!" Thalia said, wiping her face.

"All's fair in a tickle war!" Rhode declared proudly and yelped, ducking under Thalia's arsenal of Gummy Bears.

Thalia grinned, holding some Pop Rocks, "Well, if you say so."

Rhode armed herself with some M&M's, "Fair warning, I am a Candy Kung Fu black belt."

Blue and green eyes narrowed at one another.

"Bring it on." Thalia challenged daringly.

And so the war of candy and tickles prolonged until almost midnight.

As the excitement of the newly dubbed Candy War faded, the two girls huddled together in the effort to stay warm.

Thalia idly pulled out Gummy Bears from Rhode's hair as she said, "Hard to believe it's almost the year two thousand."

"Yeah." Rhode nodded, brushing so Pop Rocks off her shirt, "What do you think of that Y Two K thing?"

Thalia shrugged her shoulders, some M&M's sliding off them, "I don't know, I mean, some computer nonsense doesn't really affect us."

Rhode nodded, popping a Skittle into her mouth, "Yeah, I guess so. Still weird though."

"Oh, definitely." The older girl nodded.

Rhode soon closed her eyes as the birthday girl herself took first watch.

Thalia smiled, brushing some of Rhode's messy hair fondly. Thinking on the thoughts of being eleven now.

All Thalia needed was her best friend with her. That was the best gift of all.

* * *

The half-bloods were walking the streets of Memphis, Tennessee.

It was February fourteenth.

"Gag me." Thalia grimaced…pink, it was everywhere!

"Isn't pink standard on Valentine's day?" Rhode asked with her head tilted to the left.

Thalia stopped them right then and there, "Rhode, pink is the color of Satan." She sternly said.

"…But we're Greek."

"Color. Of. Satan." Thalia poked Rhode's chest with each word.

Rhode frowned and rubbed her chest, "Oookay, pink is evil. I get it." She personally found green to be the best color ever anyway.

"Even worse, they have a holiday for it." Thalia rubbed her forearms, like she was going to break out in hives any second.

"I've never celebrated Valentine's day." Rhode admitted as they passed a couple kissing. Ew, gross. "Never really had a reason to."

"Same." Thalia nodded, dancing around a Cupid sign and stuffed her hands in her pockets, "I just don't see the use of it. I mean, it's just some scheme for the candy companies."

"Candy is good though." The daughter of Poseidon argued.

"It is. But this is just glorifying it in my opinion." Thalia huffed.

"So we aren't exchanging cards?" Rhode asked curiously.

Thalia paused mid-step, turning towards Rhode, "Huh?"

Rhode beamed and shuffled through her green Power Ranger backpack, "I made you a card!" She pulled out a folded piece of loose-leaf that had a picture of them holding hands and smiling, "I've never had a reason to give someone a card before. And we were kind of running from that truancy officer last Valentine's day, so I worked super hard on this one." She held it out to Thalia.

Thalia blinked owlishly and rubbed the back of her neck with her right hand and took the card, "Well, um, normally you give a card to someone you like." She explained.

"But, you're my best friend. Of course I like you." The daughter of Poseidon smiled.

"Uh." Was Thalia's awkward rebuttal. She just opted to open the card. It was a simply little message: Happy to be with you.

Though why did she have to add so many hearts?

"It's nice. Thanks, Rhode." Thalia smiled at her friend.

"…Don't I get one?"

Thalia frowned, "I, um, didn't think to get one. Sorry?" she said with a sheepish look.

"Oh." Rhode made a small noise of disappointment. She looked like a kicked puppy.

 _Oh gods, come on!_ Thalia whined in her mind. Great, now she felt like the bad guy.

The daughter of Zeus looked around, maybe there was a card shop or something. Maybe candy? Rhode liked candy. She narrowed her eyes and saw something down the street. There! A photo booth! Rhode loved pictures. It was perfect!

"How about something better than a card?" Thalia asked with a grin.

"What?" Rhode asked, perking up a little.

Thalia took her hand and led her down the street.

"A photo booth?" Rhode asked as her friend ushered her in.

"Yeah, a picture says a lot more than a card, right?"

"Well, a card has words-"

Thalia cut her off, "Come on." She said, sitting down and putting in a few quarters.

Rhode shrugged and sat next to Thalia as she pushed some buttons.

There were four pictures. One was of them with their arms around each other's shoulders. The next was of them making silly faces. The following one was of Thalia giving Rhode a playful noogie. And the final one was of them just smiling brightly at the camera.

"Alright," Thalia grinned at the success of her situation. She went to get the pictures and paused. They were decorated with little hearts around her and Rhode. She exited the booth and struggled to read the sign: Valentine's Day Edition.

As Thalia glared at the sign, Rhode snagged the pictures from her hand.

"Wow! These are great!" Rhode beamed up at Thalia, "You were right, this is way better. Thank you, Thalia." she held it close to her chest, treasuring it.

Thalia just rubbed her eyes, "L-Let's just get out of this town."

"You don't want to go see Graceland?" Rhode raised a brow, pocketing the pictures. She kind of wanted to see Elvis' mansion.

"No." Thalia answered. Rhode looked at her in confusion.

Thalia was so weird at times.

* * *

Rhode and Thalia were riding a hippocampus. Rhode had prayed to her dad for a lift in the waters outside of North Carolina. It was answered rather quickly.

"H-Holy crap." Thalia said in shock, panting like crazy with her face covered in sweat. She felt like she ran a marathon.

"How did you even do that?!" Rhode exclaimed with wide eyes.

Behind them, a part of the harbor was on fire, two ships were sinking and one was drifting out into the ocean. Police, fire trucks, and ambulance sirens wailed.

"I-! I just got pissed and then boom! Lightning strike!"

"I thought you could only do those static bolts?"

"…Guess it's a daughter of Zeus thing." Thalia stated as she looked down, still stunned, "And now we're riding some horse fish thing."

The hippocampus whined in displeasure at that.

Rhode rubbed the hippocampus' scaly mane, "She is a hippocampus. Her name is Skittles."

"…Skittles?"

"Yeah, you know, taste the rainbow, rainbow tail? What else would I call her? Bessie?" Rhode snort at the stupid name. Even the newly named Skittles gave a nickering laugh at that.

Thalia couldn't help but laugh at that too, "Yeah, you'd have to be pretty stupid to name something Bessie of all things."

They continued to joke about it as Skittles swam them to Florida at speeds faster than a jet-ski.

* * *

It was July first again, Thalia had gotten another cupcake with five candles. They just sat in the park somewhere in Arkansas.

Thalia was looking at the flickering candles with sad blue eyes. Rhode, seeing this, couldn't help but ask.

"Do…Do you want to talk about it?" she asked her best friend softly, unsure what to do. Rhode just hated it when Thalia was sad. It made her feel like she wasn't doing her best to help her friend.

Thalia's face was a storm of emotions for a few minutes, like she was trying to think of what to say. The daughter of Zeus let out a sigh, "Yeah. To be honest, it would be nice." Rhode had been honest about her old life. It was only fair that Thalia showed that same length of trust after all the time they had traveled together and fought by each other's side. No matter how much it hurt to talk about it.

"I…had a little brother." Thalia started softly, eyes never leaving the flickering flames of the candles. "He was about seven years younger. You see, after I was born, Zeus left Mom. She went into a depression. You couldn't not see with some booze on hand. Her career went to crap, that just made the booze all that more enticing." Thalia took a shuddering breath, "Seven years later, Zeus came back…but he was weirder, more fatherly yet stern. He also spoke Latin a lot." The blue eyed girl remarked.

"Wait, you knew he was Zeus?" Rhode asked with a raised brow.

Thalia nodded, "Not at first, but Mom loved to boast about it when she got really drunk. How she got together with the King of the Gods. Like she was something special." The daughter of Zeus spat, "Trust me, she wasn't. Anyway, Zeus came back. And later on, Jason was born. I though, stupidly, that maybe things would get better." She slowly closed her eyes and after a moment opened them, "They didn't. Zeus left again, she kept pestering him for eternal beauty, or to visit Olympus. The whole house reeked of alcohol from that point on." Thalia's hands balled, her nails digging into her palms, "She couldn't even take care of Jason, I did all that. I...I wanted to give him the love he deserved…That I didn't get." She raised her hand, roughly rubbing her right eye, feeling a struggle to press on. Swallowing, Thalia steeled herself.

"Mom, she was just too unstable. After almost three years, I tried to do everything I could for Jason." Thalia's shoulders slumped, "But with her, it was taking care of two babies. I just couldn't stand her, the only reason I stayed was for Jason. Suddenly Mom wanted to go on a picnic, I was stunned. We never vacationed. Ever. But she was insistent on going. Once again, I stupidly thought she was trying to change." Thalia raised her left knee onto the bench, resting her chin on it, "We went to Sonoma Valley, nice little place, peaceful. All those birds and squirrels and stuff." Thalia's tone tightened, her eyes gaining a dark glint.

"She was holding Jason, very rare, showering him with attention. She told me to go get the picnic basket from the car. I did. When I came back though…she was sitting on the stone steps, crying. She told me Jason was dead." Thalia growled out, "I thought she'd finally lost her mind…I searched for hours, all day. He was gone." She said in a defeated tone, but righteous fury soon took hold, "When we got back, I blew the whistle on her. The cops came. They questioned her for a long time, but she wasn't arrested, no matter what I told them." Her jaw jumped in frustration at remembering it all, eyes glazing over in memory.

Thalia's right hand squeezed her knee, "Then, Mom turned on me. She was screeching how I betrayed her. How I should've sided with her. How it was the right choice!" Thalia's voice rose in volume with each word as she snapped. Rhode, who had been silently listening, took her friend's left hand, who started to squeeze it, "I lost it. It was just the last straw. I pushed her, static included." Rhode winced, that stuff hurt, "Damn drunk went sailing in the air and crumpled like a rag doll." Thalia said, deep satisfaction in her voice at the deed.

"I left." The daughter of Zeus said, "Drained every bottle she had down the drain. Took every speck of cash she had. Grabbed my jacket and," she pulled out her mace canister, "This. And I ran away, I just couldn't take her poison anymore." She said, running her sleeve under her nose, trying her best to keep her composure.

Rhode just moved closer, giving her best friend a big hug. She didn't know what to say. Rhode wasn't really the best with words, but she'd show Thalia that she was here, for her. Just like she was for Rhode.

Thalia didn't even seem to notice she was blinking out a few tears as she held Rhode in thanks. She started talking about Jason, going on and on about all the little things. Like the time he tried to eat a stapler and got a small scar on the corner of his lip, him in his little Superman footie PJ's, or playing hide and seek in their apartment.

Rhode just kept listened as Thalia let it all out.

The candles had long since cooled, their melted stubs amidst the wax by the time Thalia finished.

* * *

The rest of the month was a blur as the two half-bloods grew even closer than ever before after their little heart-to-heart regarding Thalia's past. Now it was the thirty first, Rhode's birthday. Currently the girls were perched outside a concert hall where mother-freaking Green Day was playing! Earlier Thalia had tried to sneak them in, so eager to see the band live. But, unfortunately, they were found out and security tossed them out, making the girl threaten them rather colorfully.

That was what led them to their current position, sitting against one of the walls as they listened to the slightly muffled music and roaring of the crowd. They had decided to cheer themselves up by helping themselves to Rhode's ever-present Skittles.

"Sorry, Rhode." Thalia frowned, popping a Skittle in her mouth. She had wanted Rhode to go to her first concert (Of the best damn band ever!), but that idea got shot down quick. Damn guards, she should've just zapped 'em to Hades and back.

Rhode just shook her head, "It's fine. It's the thought that counts, Thals. Besides, just relaxing like this?" She rested her head on Thalia's shoulder, giving a beaming smile, "This is fine too."

Thalia offered a small smile. Happy that Rhode was happy.

They listened to the loud beats and cheers until Rhode started to sing.

"Do you have the time, to listen to me whine?" She gave her best friend a sly look, "About nothing and everything, all at once."

Thalia blinked then smirked widely, "I am one of those melodramatic fools. Neurotic to the bone, no doubt about it~"

Rhode stood up, "Sometimes I give myself the creeps. Sometimes my mind plays tricks on me." She twirled her index fingers around her ears, "It all keeps adding up, I think I'm cracking up! Am I just paranoid? Am I just stoned?" she fanned her arms out wide.

Thalia stood up, "I went to a shrink, to analyze my dreams. She says it's lack of sex that's bringing me down." She started to air guitar skillfully, windmilling her arm, "I went to a whore. He said my life's a bore, so quit my whining cause it's bringing her down!"

Rhode leaped onto the hood of a car, "Sometimes I give myself the creeps." Bobbing her head, she spun on the hood, jumping off and landing atop another car, "Sometimes my mind plays tricks on me." She thumbed to herself, "It all keeps adding up. I think I'm cracking up! Am I just paranoid? Uh, yuh, yuh, ya!" she did her own little air guitar, her eyes screwed shut as she bit her lip a little.

"Grasping to control~!" Thalia jumped onto another car, "So I better hold on." She mock surfed the hood.

Rhode jumped off, "Sometimes I give myself the creeps." She sang, Thalia jumping down next to her.

"Sometimes my mind plays tricks on me." The punkette sang, wrapping an arm around Rhode.

"It all keeps adding up." They sang as one, "I think I'm cracking up!" they screamed. "Am I just paranoid? Am I just stoooned~?" they finished with laughs and giggles.

Thalia wiped a false tear from her eye, "Ah, I feel so proud." She said, pulling Rhode in closer, giving her a noogie, "Nice vocals, Bubblehead."

Rhode fixed her hat, smirking up at Thalia, "I have a good teacher."

Thalia stood a little straighter at that, "Damn right." She looked ahead, "Come on, let's get something to eat for a late dinner. I think I saw a BK down the road."

"When in doubt, go for the burger." Rhode rolled her eyes playfully.

"The food of champions." Thalia said sternly, looking absolutely serious.

Rhode found that weird. But then again, Thalia was kind of weird at times.

Not that it was a bad thing.

The half-bloods made it to the fast food restaurant after a small walk. Thalia managed to snag Rhode a paper crown too as they chowed down at Burger King.

All in all, the daughter of Poseidon had a great tenth birthday.

She finally hit the double digits!

* * *

"Come on," Thalia said, pulling Rhode by her arm out of the alley they were walking down, muttering curses under her breath about stupid adults.

"Thalia, what was that man and lady doing?" Rhode asked with an innocent blink of her big green eyes.

"Uh, kissing."

"With half their clothes on?"

Thalia looked up at the sky and mouthed: Why. She ran her hand through her short hair and groaned, "Let's have a talk, Rhode." She grimaced as they sat down on an old tire when they were well away from the alleyway.

"About what?"

"Do you know where babies come from?" Thalia asked. Her voice was pleading that she didn't have to say anything. Rhode read ancient Greek history. Surely it's been mentioned to her, right?

"The stork?"

"…Oh gods, why do you hate me?!" the daughter of Zeus whined and took a deep breath, "Okay, let's talk about the birds and the bees. Now, when a man and woman love each other very much…"

One incredibly awkward talk later.

Rhode was just looking at the pink faced Thalia, who was so embarrassed to even having to talk about this subject at all.

The daughter of the sea opened her mouth and said, "Ew, that's disgusting! Who lets someone pee-pee in them?!"

"Well, it's not like that, kinda."

"But you said they pee in them!"

"It's a different kind of pee!"

"No, pee is pee. Plain and simple."

Thalia palmed her face, "No, it's-! It's just different, okay?"

Rhode scrunched her nose, "It sounds disgusting. I'd never want someone to pee-pee in me. Boys are weird!"

Thalia rolled her eyes but smirked, "Yeah, I'll agree with you on that one."

The daughter of the sea looked up at the full moon, "We should go look for a spot to sleep tonight."

"Good idea," Thalia nodded and dusted off her jeans and they started to search around for shelter for the night.

* * *

The black haired half-bloods were chasing Amaltheia, again. And it was Thalia's birthday, December twenty second.

"And I thought we'd get a peaceful celebration." Rhode frowned as they ran after neon lit goat. Her lip was cut and she had a few scratches on her hands. They had just fought some monster pig the size of an SUV right outside Charleston.

"I know, but when the goat's here, we gotta follow, right?" Thalia grimaced. She had a cut on her left hand, sweat trickled her brow as she had a tiny cut under her right eye.

"But still! It's almost Christmas and it's your birthday…I just wanna relax for once." The green eye girl said, sounded tired. Thalia could understand why. They had run into about seven monsters in the span of a few days, the last one only ten minutes ago.

It was exhausting to say the least.

"Hey, once we see what Amaltheia wants, we'll get some hot cocoa with those huge marshmallows at a Seven-Eleven. Sound good?" Thalia promised, hoping to raise Rhode's spirits. The raven haired girl felt a smile tug on her face at the beaming smile from little friend.

"I love cocoa."

"I know." Was the laughing retort.

Eventually the goat stopped right before a cave. A very big and scary looking cave.

"Wow, Halloween horror much?" Thalia asked the goat, who just disappeared without a bleat.

"We didn't even get any Nectar this time," Rhode frowned, that was rude of the goat. Its teat was able to disperse nectar, the drink of the gods that could heal demigods if drank in small moderation.

Thalia looked at the large cave and frowned, "A dragon cave?"

"Probably."

"Great."

Weapons out, Rhode took point with her shield. Thalia's spear was lit with static, ready to fire at will.

Their celestial bronze weapons gave off a feint light and they used it to guide them through the damp cave. They stepped over bones of what they hoped were animals.

Rhode's foot crunched on something, but she refused to look down, "Please tell me that was an animal head, Thals."

Thalia looked down and licked her dry lips, "Yeah." She lied, it was actually a human head, one the size of a kid, around the size of Rhode actually.

"You suck at lying," She retorted dryly, inching forward slowly as she tried to steel herself.

"Sorry."

"Who's there?!" a voice shouted in the cave. A male voice.

The girls looked at one another and Thalia spoke, "Who are you?" she demanded back.

"I asked first!"

"Yeah? Well I got a lightning spear here! So come on out!" Thalia retorted. She fired a warning shot. A yelp echoed through the cave.

"Okay okay!" the boy's voice was cracking in fright.

Slowly, a boy came out of a corner of the cave with his hands up. He was taller than the girls by a good few inches. He was covered in dirt and wore tattered jeans with an old ski coat over a grey shirt. Tied to his hip was a long celestial bronze sword. He had short sandy blond hair and icy blue eyes, looking somewhat older than them with impish features on his face.

"Another half-blood?" Rhode asked as the boy's eyes widened.

"Y-You're demigods too?" he asked. There was surprise and caution in his voice, but also hope.

"Well, last I checked mortals couldn't coat their weapons in electricity," Thalia shot back, lowering her spear just slightly, looking over the guy critically. They hadn't met many demigods on the road, and the few they had met weren't always nice. It was a kill or be killed world for a demigod after all.

"I'm Luke," the boy, Luke, introduced him as he lowered his hands, "Luke Castellan."

"I'm Thalia," the daughter of Zeus introduced herself and thumbed to her friend, "And this is Rhode."

"Nice to meet you," the boy said with an easy smile.

Thalia inwardly admitted that it was an okay smile.

"What are you doing in here?" Rhode asked curiously.

The boy ran a hand through his dirty hair, "Um, hiding out. This place's abandoned. Found some weapons and such." He tapped his sword, "Needed a new one."

"Okay." Thalia said, eying the sword.

"Hey, can we leave? This place is giving me the creeps." Rhode frowned, fingering her necklace. The older kids nodded in agreement. They started walking towards the exit, avoiding the bones along the way.

Thalia asked the taller boy curiously, "How old are you anyway?"

"Thirteen." Luke answered as the exited the cave.

"You wanna join us?" Rhode asked, making Thalia glare at her. They hardly knew this guy. How'd they know he wouldn't steal their stuff in the middle of the night? He looked shady enough.

Still, why did Amaltheia have them come here…Unless it was for this guy? The nursing goat did the same with Rhode, so maybe he was to join them too.

Rhode just looked back at Thalia with a smile, no doubt having the same idea.

They were just in-sync like that.

Luke rubbed the back of his neck, "That, that would be really good actually. I've been on the run since I was nine, so…yeah." He smiled brightly at them, "Being in a group would honestly be a relief."

"…I guess it would be okay," Thalia answered and nudged her head, "Come on, we were going to get some snacks from a drug store."

"Why?"

"It's Thals birthday, she just turned twelve." Rhode answered as the continued to walk into Charleston.

"Oh," the blond blinked and grinned to Thalia, "Happy birthday then."

"Thanks."

"Come on, I wanna get some of those powdered mini doughnuts." Rhode said as she dashed ahead.

"Hey!" Thalia shouted and ran after her, "I'm the birthday girl! I pick the snacks, Rho!"

"All you get are Pop Rocks!"

Luke blinked at the two's antics and laughed to himself.

It was weird, living on your own for so long and now having companions? It felt nice.

"Hey, wait up!" he shouted, chasing after them with a smile on his face.

 _Maybe…yeah._ Luke thought happily, his luck was finally turning around for the better.

He could just feel it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First, I would like to give a moment of silence since as of November sixth, the Naruto manga has ended.
> 
> While I do look forward to the next installment, Naruto has always had a close place in my heart. Good night sweet prince, good night.
> 
> Also big thanks to Sieg for the beta. You rule dude and your edits are maddeningly impressive.
> 
> Finally, I just want you all to know that I worked my butt off on this one. Seriously. I hope you enjoy it.
> 
> Now please review, no flames, and peace off.


	3. Prologue: Family

**Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson or Harry Potter.**

**The Unrelenting Frozen Seas: The Journey**

**Prologue: Family**

**Beta: Siegfried01**

**AN: As of 11/10/14, chapters one and two have been edited. So, I would suggest checking them out.**

* * *

It all started with that magic goat.

It was now the summer of 2001, and Thalia, Rhode and Luke had been following it across Virginia. Personally Luke didn't see a need to follow it, but was overruled by the girls, although Thalia was noticeably more agitated about it than Rhode. The scion of the skies had bluntly stated that the goat was a sign from her father Zeus. Luke still didn't see a point in following a goat across the state, but who was he to question the king of the gods?

The damned thing would pop up at the most random times, like in the middle of the night! And it was always only just visible, its neon colored fur acting as a beacon for them. Whenever they got close though, it would always find some way to disappear, like that time it walked behind a tree and vanished, and reappear somewhere further. Rhode still swore that the wooly thing was deliberately taunting them, while Thalia had repeatedly stated that it was leading them somewhere. Luke…honestly differed to Rhode's view, not that he'd voice that opinion to the hot-headed daughter of Zeus.

Currently it was six in the morning, and the three demigods had just made it to the outskirts of Richmond. Letting out an explosive breath, Rhode absentmindedly tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear as they trudged across an old stone bridge arched over a lazy stream.

Surveying the town: its wooded parks, old Civil War cemeteries and red brick houses wedged together, their white columned porches and tiny green gardens adding a splash of color to the otherwise sleepy neighborhood. Noticing Luke staring longingly at the houses, a broken glint in his eyes and a small frown pulling at his lips, Rhode gently tapped his arm.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, just…thinking." The blond replied lightly.

Noticing the hesitation, Rhode decided not to bring it up. None of them had the best of experiences, what with the life they led, and if Luke didn't want to bring it up then she respected that. "Don't think too hard now," she jabbed lightly, promoting a half-hearted eye roll from her friend, "you might hurt yourself."

They continued to trek for another mile or so before the exhaustion of tracking the goat began to get to them. Noting that her bag seemed heavier than it used to, and that her thighs began to shake, Rhode withheld a wince. Hopefully they'd stop and find a spot to rest and take a breather, maybe even grab something to eat.

Instead, they found that cheeky goat.

The street they were following opened up to a large, circular park. Stately red-brick mansions faced the roundabout, and in the middle of the bend, atop a twenty-foot tall alabaster white marble pillar, was a bronze cast of a man on horseback. At the base of the monument, grazing without a care in the world, was the goat.

The instant Thalia's eyes landed on the goat, they widened considerably.

"Hide!" Yanking Luke behind a row of rose shrubs, she nodded her approval to Rhode who had already ducked in as soon as she saw the goat.

"Honestly, it's just a goat," Luke said for what felt like the millionth time. "What could possibly-"

"It's special," Thalia reaffirmed. "One of my dad's sacred animals. Amaltheia."

Now this was news to Luke. In all the times they had had this discussion not once had Thalia divulged its name before. He had simply assumed she hadn't known, but now he wasn't so sure. If Luke had learned anything over their travels together, it was that Thalia did not scare easily. Actually, between the two daughters of the Big Three, Rhode was the one who would proceed things a touch more cautiously. Two sides of the same coin, is what Luke thought. So he learned that when Thalia was forced into caution, the situation was very serious; and it was because of that, that he was unnerved. Just what about that goat, sacred animal of her father or not, caused such a note of unease to stain her tone.

"So…you've seen this goat before?"

"Los Angeles. The night I ran away. And again in Arizona, that was when Rhode and I met." She said, nodding slowly before tussling her younger cousin's hair playfully, promoting an ineffective glare from said girl. "After that, we ran into her a few more times. Then, she led us to you."

This new piece of information caused Luke's eyebrow to arch involuntarily. As far as he knew, their meeting in the cave had been totally coincidental. They had met in a dragon cave outside Charleston, deciding that safety in numbers was their best bet, they teamed up. Neither one of them had ever mentioned a goat. Especially a neon-colored one.

The newfound information made Luke think. How much did he actually know of Thalia? He knew her personality pretty well, as well as her quirks and likes and dislikes, but her past was still relatively shrouded in mystery.

He knew that her mom had fallen in love with Zeus; and that Zeus, like all gods, dumped her and moved on. He also knew that after that her mom had essentially gone off the deep end, drinking and doing crazy things, until Thalia decided that enough was enough and ran. The details were sketchy at best, but that was the gist of his knowledge.

Similarly Rhode, who was English, although her accent was fading slightly, had a past much like Thalia's. Her mom and Poseidon dated, her mom died, and she got dumped with her horrendous relatives. She ditched them on a cruise ship to New York and traveled alone until she met Thalia.

Once again he didn't have many details, and honestly the curiosity was killing him, but he respected them too much to pry into things they may prefer hidden. But what he did know, was that in many ways, their pasts drew up many unnerving parallels. There were times where Luke wondered: was this what it was like for every demigod? Was that why they were so rare nowadays? Did their godly parents even care whether they lived or died? Well, the last one was mostly for his benefit. Amaltheia aside, he had seen Rhode fiddling with a pearl necklace she never took off no matter what. A gift from her father, she said. He was happy that the girls' fathers cared, at least a little, but even so he couldn't stop the stabbing pain in his chest. What about his father? Did he care?

The punk-themed girl sucked in a shaky breath. "Luke, Amaltheia only appears when something important is going to happen. Something…dangerous. She's like a guide from Zeus. Or a warning of troubles ahead."

"To what?"

"Hard to say," Rhode commented, her tongue darting out to wet her dry lips. Her eyebrows were furrowed and her eyes were narrowed in what Luke had dubbed as her 'Sherlock face.' "We've only ever seen her a few times. Sometimes we ended in a safe place, for a time. Other times it was monster nests, but we found some spare weapons there. That's about all we know about her."

"Exactly…but look." Thalia pointed across the street to where the goat continued to graze peacefully. "She's not disappearing this time. We must be close to wherever she's leading us."

Thalia was right. The goat was just standing there, less than a hundred yards away, contentedly nibbling grass at the base of the monument.

Luke was no expert on barnyard animals, but Amaltheia did look strange now that they were closer. She had curlicue horns like a ram, but the swollen udders of a nanny goat. Her shaggy coat was a dull metallic grey and was…glowing? Wisps of light seemed to cling to her like a cloud of neon, shrouding her figure in the moving air.

As they watched a couple of cars looped around the roundabout, but none of their passengers seemed to notice the glowing, gray-colored goat. It was odd, but expected. There was some form of magical camouflage keeping mortals from seeing the true appearance of monsters and gods. Mortals would probably see the goat as simply a stray dog. Or they might not see it at all.

Thalia grabbed his wrist. "Come on. Let's try to talk to it."

"First we hide from the goat," Luke said. "Now you want to talk to the goat?"

"Stop complaining." Rhode rolled her eyes.

Thalia dragged him out of the rosebushes and pulled him across the street as Rhode was already hurrying ahead of them. Luke didn't protest. When Thalia got an idea in her head, you just had to go with it. She always got her way. Same with Rhode. She would just look up at you with those big green eyes and pout looking like a cute baby seal pleading. You just couldn't say no.

Or when the two girls would argue about things to get their own way, yeah, the blue eyed boy stayed out of that. But he did enjoy the entertainment, it seemed as though they were the children of the Big Three after all.

Besides, the blond couldn't let them go without him. Thalia had saved his life a dozen times, and Rhode got him out of some sticky situations as well. They were his only friends. He had made a few friends since he ran away, even told some kids what he was, but they only found it cool and he would leave. They just didn't understand.

But the girls did. They were like him. Now that he'd found them, he was determined to stick with them. If one wanted to chase a magical glowing goat, then they'd do that, even if he had a bad feeling about it.

The goat paid the trio no mind as they approached the statue, chewing some grass and idly butting her horns against the marble base of the monument. A bronze plaque at the base read: Robert E. Lee. A defeated general.

Not the most uplifting of messages.

Thalia knelt next to the goat. "Amaltheia?"

The goat turned. She had sad amber eyes and a bronze collar around her neck. Fuzzy white light steamed around her body, but what was really eye catching were her udders. Each teat was labelled with Greek letters, like tattoos. The teats read: Nectar, Milk, Water, Pepsi, Press Here for Ice, and Diet Mountain Dew.

Rhode saw Luke rubbing his eyes as he looked under the goat, making her withhold a snicker. Yeah, it was weird seeing them for the first time.

The child of Zeus looked into the goat's eyes. "Amaltheia, what do you want me to do? Did my dad send you?"

The goat glanced at Luke and Rhode. She looked a little miffed, like they were intruding on a private conversation.

Rhode didn't look too worried, she was used to the goat being all stuffy and 'Spawn of Zeus exclusive'.

Luke, on the other hand took a step back, resisting the urge to grab his weapon. Oh, by the way, his weapon was a golf club. Feel free to laugh. He used to have a sword made from celestial bronze, but the sword got melted in acid. Long story, one Rhode laughingly promised to tell for years. Now all he had was a nine-iron slung on his back. Not exactly epic.

Luke cleared his throat. "Um, Thalia, you sure this goat is from your dad?"

"Skywalker," Rhode rolled her eyes, her little nickname for him since he liked to use swords, "trust us, we've met." she said and took a sip of water from her canteen.

"She's immortal," Thalia added with a nod. "When Zeus was a baby, his mom Rhea hid him in a cave—"

"Because Kronos wanted to eat him?" Luke heard that story somewhere, how the old Titan king swallowed his own children.

Rhode blanched at the reminder of her immortal grandfather, he wasn't a nice dude. He literally ate her dad!

So not cool.

Thalia nodded. "So this goat, Amaltheia, looked after baby Zeus in his cradle. She nursed him."

"On Diet Mountain Dew?" Luke asked.

Thalia frowned. "What?" she asked. She was messing with Luke since she had read them long ago.

"Read the udders," the blond insisted. "The goat has five flavors plus an ice dispenser."

"Baahh."

Thalia patted the goat's head. "It's okay. He didn't mean to insult you." Luke looked on indignantly, "Why have you led us here, Amaltheia? Where do you want me to go?"

The goat butted her head against the monument. From above came the sound of creaking metal. They looked up and saw the bronze General Lee move his right arm.

Luke almost used the goat as a shield. The group had fought several magic moving statues before. They were called automatons, and they were bad news. The boy wasn't anxious to take on Robert E. Lee with a nine-iron.

Fortunately, the statue didn't attack. He simply pointed across the street.

Luke gave Thalia a nervous look. "What's that about?"

Thalia nodded in the direction the statue was pointing.

Across the traffic circle stood a red brick mansion overgrown with ivy. On either side, huge oak trees dripped with Spanish moss. The house's windows were shuttered and dark. Peeling white columns flanked the front porch. The door was painted charcoal black. Even on a bright sunny morning, the place looked gloomy and creepy—like a Gone with the Wind haunted house.

The blond's mouth felt dry. "The goat wants us to go there?"

"Baah." Amaltheia dipped her head like she was nodding.

"I don't like the look of that place." Rhode added, her hand going for the milky pearl around her neck. She usually fiddled with when she was nervous or worried.

Thalia touched the goat's curly horns. "Thank you, Amaltheia. I-I trust you."

Her nervousness didn't really rose confidence in Luke as Rhode kept looking at the dilapidated house, a frown on her face. The mossy trees on either side looked like claws, waiting to grasp them.

Suddenly the mist thickened and swelled around Amaltheia. A miniature storm cloud engulfed her. Lightning flickered through the cloud. When the mist dissolved, the goat was gone.

"You sure about this?" Luke turned to Thalia.

Thalia looked at him, "Amaltheia leads me to good things, like Rhode. Despite being the pain she is."

"You're one to talk!" Rhode protested with crossed arms. A broody look came on her face that made her look like a rebel.

Thalia laughed and jokingly pushed Rhode's shoulder as she continued, "And the last time she appeared, she led me to you." She told the boy with a smile.

The compliment warmed Luke like a cup of hot chocolate. He was a sucker that way. Thalia could flash those blue eyes, give him one kind word, and she can get him to do pretty much whatever. But he couldn't help wondering: back in Charleston, had the goat led them to him, or simply led them into a dragon's cave?

"You mean, us, right?" Rhode looked at Thalia with a weird look.

Thalia turned a bit pink, "Yeah, us, duh." She said quickly.

"No, you said me."

"Drop it, Bubblehead."

"…Make me, Porcupinehead." the child of the sea returned, the two glaring at one another.

Luke got between them before they had one of their little play spats, "Easy you two," he exhaled, "Creepy mansion, here we come." The girls huffed at one another as they advanced to the house.

Steeling herself, Thalia tried the knocker. There was no answer; not like she expected one. Sighing, she settled on surveying the house to try and find a way in. Shifting around, she took in the front of the house, the porch floorboards creaking in protest as her weight moved.

The window shutters were falling apart, one of them dangling precariously as it swayed in the breeze, but the glass was grimy and coated with dust, and on the inside the curtains were drawn. Coming back to the door, Thalia took in the peeling paint and rotting wood. The dull brass knocker was shaped like Medusa's face, with the ring stylized to look like two of her snake-hairs biting each other. Not a good sign.

Jiggling the brass handle, she huffed. Luke was hoping, however unlikely, that she'd just let it go and give up. "Luke, do your thing." Nope. No such luck.

Sighing, he got on his knees in front of the keyhole. "Man…I hate doing my thing," he forced out across gritted teeth.

Despite never meeting his dad, nor did he ever want to, Luke couldn't deny that he shared some of his talents. After all, along with being the messenger of the gods, Hermes was the god of merchants –which explained why the boy was so good with money- and travelers, which explained why the divine jerk ditched his mother without a second thought and never came back. Along with those roles, he was also god of thieves. He'd stolen things, like –oh off the top of his head- Apollo's cattle, women, good ideas, wallets, his mom's sanity, and the demigod's chance at a good life.

Either way, because of his dad's godly thieving, Luke had some talents he didn't like to advertise. Reluctantly, he placed his hand on the deadbolt, concentrating on the mechanism that kept the latch in place; more specifically, the internal pins that controlled that actual latch. With a rusty click, the bolt slid back. The actual lock on the door was even easier, all he had to do was concentrate on it, tap and turn it and voila! One open door.

"That is so cool!" Rhode exclaimed, even though she'd seen him do it at least a dozen times. She'd picked a lock or two, she had to, but found it incredibly annoying. Most of the time she just jammed her blade in between the door and the frame to cut the lock. If not then the hinges worked just as well.

As the door swung open, the stench of stale air and musk rushed out, along with something else Luke couldn't identify. It reminded him of the last breath of a dying man. Thalia, being the girl she was, marched in anyway. Sighing, Luke pulled out his club and followed her, Rhode bringing up the rear.

The room they were in resembled an old-fashioned civil war ballroom, with rotted furniture dotting the area. High above them a chandelier glinted and glowed with celestial bronze trinkets of every size and shape. Arrowheads, bits of armor, broken sword hilts and shards of blades: all casting a sickly yellow glare across the room. At the opposite end of the room two hallways branched off to the left and right and a stairwell wrapped around the back wall as heavy drapes choked out the light from the windows.

In the height of its time, the place might've been impressive, grand even. But now it was a mere shadow of its former self, a husk waiting to rot away. The checkerboard marble floor was smeared with mud and caked in crusty stuff they hoped was ketchup. A disemboweled sofa cowered in one of the corners and several mahogany chairs had been splintered into kindling that scattered the area. At the base of the stairs sat a heap of cans, rags, and bones. Human bones.

Immediately Thalia whipped out her spear, the tip hissing as the weapon unfolded. Readying his golf club, which was feeling rather useless at the moment, Luke scanned the area as Rhode's fingers idly danced across the hilt of her knife, her green eyes darting to and fro warily.

Gulping, Luke started to inch toward the exit. "Maybe this isn't such a good-"

"Guys!" Rhode exclaimed, getting the others to turn as well. All of them jumped as the door swung shut with a slam.

Lunging at the handle, Luke yanked and pulled but the door held fast, its rusted hinges belying their strength. Pressing his hand against the lock, he willed it open. This time not even the pins rattled.

"The door's been sealed. Some kind of magic. I can't get it open."

Rhode walked over to the door and stabbed at its handle, trying to slice directly into the mechanism. But the blade just bounced off, the tip opening a wound on her check as she yelped in surprise.

Running to the nearest window, Thalia tried to part the drapes, but the heavy purple fabric immediately wrapped around her hands, pinning them and forcing her to drop her spear.

"Guys! Help!"

The curtains seemed to ooze and liquefy into sheets of oily sludge like giant tongues. Or fingers. They crept up her arms, coating them up to her elbows in an instant. Charging them with his club, Luke gave them a sold thwack with it. Shuddering, the ooze reverted back to fabric for a few seconds, long enough for him to pull Thalia free, her spear lying sprawled across the floor. The metal smoking, as if it had been dipped in acid.

Dragging her away as the curtains returned to ooze and groped for them, the sheets of muck lashing at the air frantically. Fortunately, they seemed anchored to the curtain rods, and after a few more failed attempts to reach them, the ooze settled back into drapes innocently hanging against the wall.

Stumbling against the wall, Luke allowed himself to slide into a sit, Thalia shivering in his arms as she rested in his lap. Thalia slowly raised her arms, her horrified eyes ghosting over the angry red blisters and steam. Her face paled. Rushing over, Rhode immediately latched onto her shoulders. "Thalia. Thalia," seeing that her cousin was looking at her, Rhode continued. "Calm down, breathe. That's it. Just breathe."

Fishing out the only bottle of nectar they had left, Luke quickly dumped it onto Thalia's arms. Immediately the steam dissipated, the blisters fading slightly slower. "You're going to be fine Thalia." He soothed, "just rest."

"We—we can't…" Her voice was shaky, but she managed to stand. Thalia glanced at the drapes with a mixture of fear and nausea. "If all the windows are like that, and the door is locked—"

"Maybe we can find another way out. I could dump some water on the hinges, try to freeze 'em. They'll shatter easier then." Rhode cut in. Unfortunately, Rhode's powers over ice were iffy at best. Often times it was hit or miss.

"No, that thing's seal shut with magic, Rhode. We'll find another way." the blond boy promised. Plus, this didn't seem like the time to remind them that they wouldn't have been here if not for the stupid goat. Luke considered their options: a staircase going up, or two dark hallways. He squinted down the hall to the left, he could make out a pair of small red lights glowing near the floor. Maybe night-lights?

Just as he finished, the lights moved, bobbing up and down. As if they were attached to someone, or something walking. They grew brighter. And closer. A growl made their blood freeze.

Thalia made a strangled sound. "Um, guys…" She pointed to the other hallway. Another pair of glowing red eyes glared at them from the shadows. From both hallways came a strange hollow clack, clack, clack, like someone playing bone castanets.

Rhode held up her dagger as they clustered together.

"The stairs are looking pretty good," Luke noted, his nimble legs ready to move.

As if in reply, a man's voice called from somewhere above them: "Yes, this way."

The voice was heavy with sadness, as if he were giving directions to a funeral.

"Who are you?" Rhode shouted back, not exactly sounding trusting of some distant voice.

"Hurry," the voice called down, but he didn't sound excited about it.

To their right, the same voice echoed, "Hurry." Clack, clack, clack.

Rhode bulked. The voice seemed to have come from the thing in the hallway—the thing with the glowing red eyes. But how could one voice come from two different places?

Then the same voice called out from the hallway on the left: "Hurry." Clack, clack, clack.

Now they've faced some scary stuff before—fire-breathing dogs, pit scorpions, dragons—not to mention a set of oily black man-eating draperies. But something about those voices echoing all around, those glowing eyes advancing from both directions, and the weird clacking noises made you feel like a deer surrounded by wolves.

Rhode was contemplating their odds when suddenly Luke grasped her and Thalia's hands, bolting up the stairs.

"Luke—" Thalia said startled.

"Come on!" the boy said quickly.

"What if it's another trap—" Rhode started.

"No choice!"

He bounded up the stairs, dragging the girls with him. He knew they were right. They might be running straight to their deaths, but he also knew they had to get away from those things downstairs.

Behind them, they could hear the creatures closing—snarling like wildcats, pounding across the marble floor with a sound like horse's hooves. What in Hades were they?

At the top of the stairs, they plunged down another hallway. Dimly flickering wall sconces made the doors along either side seem to dance. Luke jumped over a pile of bones, accidentally kicking a human skull.

Somewhere ahead of them, the man's voice called, "This way!" He sounded more urgent than before. "Last door on the left! Hurry!"

Behind them, the creatures echoed his words: "Left! Hurry!"

Maybe the creatures were just mimicking like parrots. Or maybe the voice in front of the group belonged to a monster too. Still, something about the man's tone felt real. He sounded alone and miserable, like a hostage.

"We have to help him," Thalia announced, as if reading his thoughts.

"Of course," Rhode agreed instantly, getting Luke to nod with them.

They charged ahead. The corridor became more dilapidated—wallpaper peeling away like tree bark, light sconces smashed to pieces. The carpet was ripped to shreds and littered with bones. Light seeped from underneath the last door on the left.

Behind them, the pounding of hooves got louder.

The kids reached the door and Luke launched himself against it, but it opened on its own. Thalia and Rhode spilled inside after him, face-planting on the carpet with him too.

The door slammed shut.

Outside, the creatures growled in frustration and scraped against the walls.

"Hello," said the man's voice, much closer now. "I'm very sorry."

Rhode's head was dizzy. She thought she'd heard him off to her left, but when the green eyed girl looked up, he was standing right in front of them.

He wore snakeskin boots and a mottled green-and-brown suit that might've been made from the same material. He was tall and gaunt, with spiky grey hair almost as wild as Thalia's (and that was saying something). He looked like a very old, sickly, fashionably dressed Einstein.

His shoulders slumped. His sad green eyes were underscored with bags. He might've been handsome once, but the skin of his face hung loose as if he'd been partially deflated.

His room was arranged like a studio apartment. Unlike the rest of the house, it was in fairly good shape. Against the far wall was a twin bed, a desk with a computer, and a window covered with dark drapes like the ones downstairs. Along the right wall stood a bookcase, a small kitchenette, and two doorways—one leading into a bathroom, the other into a large closet.

Thalia said, "Um, guys…" She pointed to their left.

Luke jolted at the sighted. Rhode tensed, the grip on her dagger tightened.

The left side of the room had a row of iron bars like a prison cell. Inside was the scariest zoo exhibit you'd ever seen. A gravel floor was littered with bones and pieces of armor, and prowling back and forth was a monster with a lion's body and rust-red fur. Instead of paws it had hooves like a horse, and its tail lashed around like a bullwhip. Its head was a mixture of horse and wolf—with pointed ears, an elongated snout, and black lips that looked disturbingly human.

"Okay, you are pretty ugly. And I've seen some ugly stuff before." Rhode commented, getting to her feet and moving a few paces back.

The monster snarled. For a second it looked as though it was wearing one of those mouth guards that boxers use. Instead of teeth, it had two solid horseshoe-shaped plates of bone. When it snapped its mouth, the bone plates made the jarring clack, clack, clack they had heard downstairs.

The monster fixed its glowing red eyes on Luke. Saliva dripped from its weird bony ridges. He personally wanting out of the room, but they could still hear the other creatures—at least two of them—growling out in the hallway.

Rhode helped Thalia to her feet as Luke clambered to his own as they faced the old man.

"Who are you?" Luke demanded. "What's that thing in the cage?"

The old man grimaced. His expression was so full of misery and looked as though he might cry. He opened his mouth, but when he spoke, the words didn't come from him.

Like some horrific ventriloquist act, the monster spoke for him, in the voice of an old man: "I am Halcyon Green. I'm terribly sorry, but you are in the cage. You've been lured here to die."

They'd left Thalia's spear downstairs, so they had just three weapons—Luke's golf club, Rhode's dagger, and her spear. Rhode held her dagger threateningly. Luke pointed his club at the old man, but the older man made no threatening moves. He looked so pitiful and depressed Luke couldn't even bring himself to smack the guy.

"Y-you'd better explain," Luke stammered. "Why—how—what…?"

As you can tell, he was good with words.

Behind the bars, the monster clacked its bone-plated jaws.

"I understand your confusion," it said in the old man's voice. Its sympathetic tone didn't match the homicidal glow in its eyes, "The creature you see here is a leucrota. It has a talent for imitating human voices. That is how it lures its prey."

Luke looked back and forth from the man to the monster. "But…the voice is yours? I mean, the dude in the snakeskin suit—I'm hearing what he wants to say?"

"That is correct." The leucrota sighed heavily. "I am, as you say, the dude in the snakeskin suit. Such is my curse. My name is Halcyon Green, son of Apollo."

Thalia stumbled backwards. "You're a demigod? But you're so—"

"Old?" the leucrota asked. The man, Halcyon Green, studied his liver-spotted hands, as if he couldn't believe they were his. "Yes, I am."

Thalia's surprise was very understandable. They'd only met a few other demigods in their travels—some friendly, some not so much. But they'd all been kids like them. Their lives were so dangerous, all three figured it was unlikely any demigod could live to be an adult. Yet Halcyon Green was ancient, like sixty at least.

"How long have you been here?" Rhode asked curiously.

Halcyon shrugged listlessly. The monster spoke for him: "I have lost count. Decades? Because my father is the god of oracles, I was born with the curse of seeing the future. Apollo warned me to keep quiet. He told me I should never share what I saw because it would anger the gods. But many years ago…I simply had to speak. I met a young girl who was destined to die in an accident. I saved her life by telling her the future."

Luke tried to focus on the old man, but it was hard not to look at the monster's mouth—those black lips, the slavering bone-plated jaws.

"I don't get it…" Rhode had a confused look on her face as she asked Halcyon, "You did something good. Why would that anger the gods?" Wasn't doing good thing what heroes do? That didn't sound right.

"They don't like mortals meddling with fate," the leucrota said. "My father cursed me. He forced me to wear these clothes, the skin of Python, who once guarded the Oracle of Delphi, as a reminder that I was not an oracle. He took away my voice and locked me in this mansion, my boyhood home. Then the gods set the leucrotae to guard me. Normally, leucrotae only mimic human speech, but these are linked to my thoughts. They speak for me. They keep me alive as bait, to lure other demigods. It was Apollo's way of reminding me, forever, that my voice would only lead others to their doom."

An angry coppery taste filled Luke's mouth. He already knew the gods could be cruel. His deadbeat dad had ignored him for fourteen years. But Halcyon Green's curse was just plain wrong. It was evil. Thalia had an appalled look on her face as Rhode's was filled with sadness, a tiny frown adoring her lips.

"You should fight back," Luke said. "You didn't deserve this. Break out. Kill the monsters. We'll help you."

"He's right," Thalia said. "That's Luke, by the way. I'm Thalia and this is Rhode. We've fought plenty of monsters. There has to be something we can do, Halcyon."

"Call me Hal," the leucrota said. The old man shook his head dejectedly. "But you don't understand. You're not the first to come here. I'm afraid all the demigods feel there's hope when they first arrive. Sometimes I try to help them. It never works. The windows are guarded by deadly drapes—"

"I noticed," Thalia muttered.

"—and the door is heavily enchanted. It will let you in, but not out."

"We'll see about that." Luke turned and pressed his hand to the lock. He concentrated until sweat trickled down his neck, but nothing happened. The son of Hermes' powers were useless.

"I told you," the leucrota said bitterly. "None of us can leave. Fighting the monsters is hopeless. They can't be hurt by any metal known to man or god."

To prove his point, the old man brushed aside the edge of his snakeskin jacket, revealed a dagger on his belt. He unsheathed the wicked-looking celestial bronze blade and approached the monster's cell.

The leucrota snarled at him. Hal jabbed his knife between the bars, straight at the monster's head. Normally, celestial bronze would disintegrate a monster with one hit. The blade simply glanced off the leucrota's snout, leaving no mark. The leucrota kicked its hooves at the bars, and Hal backed away.

"You see?" the monster spoke for Hal.

"So you just give up?" Thalia demanded. "You help the monsters lure us in and wait for them to kill us?"

Hal sheathed his dagger. "I'm so sorry, my dear, but I have little choice. I'm trapped here, too. If I don't cooperate, the monsters let me starve. The monsters could have killed you the moment you entered the house, but they use me to lure you upstairs. They allow me your company for a while. It eases my loneliness. And then…well, the monsters like to eat at sundown. Today, that will be at 7:03." He gestured to a digital clock on his desk, which read 10:34 AM. "After you are gone, I-I subsist on whatever rations you carried." He glanced hungrily at their backpacks.

"You're as bad as the monsters," Luke spat.

The old man winced, but Luke didn't care. In his backpack were two Snickers bars, a ham sandwich, a canteen of water, and an empty bottle for nectar. Rhode was only carrying their limited medical supplies and a bag of her Skittles. Thalia was carrying what little camping gear they had and some Pop Rocks. They really didn't want to die for that.

"You're right to hate me," the leucrota said in Hal's voice, "but I can't save you. At sunset, those bars will rise. The monsters will drag you away and kill you. There is no escape."

Inside the monster's enclosure, a square panel on the back wall ground open, probably connected to another room or something. Two more leucrotae stalked into the cage. All three fixed their glowing red eyes on the young demigods, their bony mouth-plates snapping with anticipation.

One had to wonder how the monsters could eat with such strange mouths. As if to answer the question in the kids' minds, a leucrota picked up an old piece of armor in its mouth. The celestial bronze breastplate looked thick enough to stop a spear-thrust, but the leucrota clamped down with the force of a vice grip and chomped, wrenching metal and leaving a hole in the shape of a U.

"As you see," said another leucrota in Hal's voice, "the monsters are remarkably strong."

Luke's legs felt like soggy spaghetti. Thalia paled and Rhode took a step behind the older girl, looking just as ashen.

"Send them away," Thalia pleaded. "Hal, can you make them leave?"

The old man frowned. The first monster said: "If I do that, we won't be able to talk."

The second monster picked up in the same voice: "Besides, any escape strategy you can think of, someone else has already tried."

The third monster said: "There is no point in private talks."

Thalia paced as restless as the monsters. "Do they know what we're saying? I mean, do they just speak, or do they understand the words?"

The first leucrota made a high-pitched whine. Then it imitated Thalia's voice: "Do they understand the words?"

Rhode felt like she was punched in the gut. Despite her and Thalia traveling together for so long, if she had heard that perfect replication of Thalia's voice asking for help, she would have gone running towards it.

That was horrifying.

The second monster spoke for Hal: "The creatures are intelligent, the way dogs are intelligent. They comprehend emotions and a few simple phrases. They can lure their prey by crying things like 'Help!' But I'm not sure how much human speech they really understand. It doesn't matter. You can't fool them."

"Send them away," Luke said. "You have a computer. Type what you want to say. If we're going to die at sunset, I don't want those things staring at me all day."

Hal hesitated. Then he turned to the monsters and stared at them in silence. After a few moments, the leucrotae snarled. They stalked out of the enclosure and the back panel closed behind them.

Hal looked at his fellow half-bloods. He spread his hands as if apologizing, or asking a question.

"Luke," Thalia said anxiously, "do you have a plan?"

"Not yet," Luke admitted, a worried look on his face. "But we'd better come up with one by sunset."

"Clocks ticking." Rhode stated, sheathing her dagger, "Best figure out what we got and can do." She said in her best brave tone, but it was easy to tell she was still shaken from the monster copying Thalia's voice.

It was an odd feeling, waiting to die. Normally when Thalia, Rhode, and Luke fought monsters, they had about two seconds to figure out a plan. The threat was immediate. They lived or died instantly. Now they had all day trapped in a room with nothing to do, knowing that at sunset those cage bars would rise and they'd be trampled to death and torn apart by monsters that couldn't be killed with any weapon. Then Halcyon Green would eat their snacks.

The suspense was almost worse than an attack.

Part of Luke was tempted to knock out the old man with his golf club and feed him to his drapes. Then at least he couldn't help the monsters lure any more demigods to their deaths. But he couldn't make himself do it. Hal was so frail and pathetic. Besides, his curse wasn't his fault. He'd been trapped in this room for decades, forced to depend on monsters for his voice and his survival, forced to watch other demigods die, all because he'd saved a girl's life. What kind of justice was that?

Don't get him wrong, Luke was still angry with Hal for luring them here, but the blond could understand why he'd lost hope after so many years. If anybody deserved a golf club across the head, it was Apollo-and all the other deadbeat parent Olympian gods, for that matter.

They took inventory of Hal's prison apartment. The bookshelves were stuffed with everything from ancient history to thriller novels.

 **You're welcome to read anything,** Hal typed on his computer. **Just please not my diary. It's personal.**

He put his hand protectively on a battered green leather book next to his keyboard.

"No problem," Luke said. The boy doubted any of the books would help them, and he couldn't imagine Hal had anything interesting to write about in his diary, being stuck in this room most of his life.

He showed them the computer's Internet browser. Great. They could order pizza and watch the monsters eat the delivery guy. Not very helpful. Luke supposed they could've e-mailed someone for help, except they didn't have anyone to contact, and he'd never used e-mail. The group didn't even carry phones. They'd found out the hard way that when demigods use technology, it attracts monsters like blood attracts sharks.

They moved on to the bathroom. It was pretty clean considering how long Hal had lived here. He had two spare sets of snakeskin clothes, apparently just hand-washed, hanging from the rod above the bathtub. His medicine cabinet was stocked with scavenged supplies—toiletries, medicines, toothbrushes, first-aid gear, ambrosia, and nectar. They tried not to think about where all this had come from while searching but didn't see anything that could defeat the leucrotae.

Thalia slammed a drawer shut in frustration. "I don't understand! Why did Amaltheia bring me here? Did the other demigods come here because of the goat?"

Hal frowned. He motioned for them to follow him back to his computer. He hunched over the keyboard and typed: **What goat?**

No point in keeping it a secret really, so they told him how they followed Zeus's glowing Pepsi-dispensing goat into Richmond, and how she had pointed them to this house.

Hal looked baffled. He typed: **I've heard of Amaltheia, but don't know why she would bring you here. The other demigods were attracted to the mansion because of the treasure. I assumed you were, too.**

"Treasure?" Rhode asked with a raised brow. That sounded interesting.

Hal got up and showed them his walk-in closet. It was full of more supplies collected from unfortunate demigods—coats much too small for Hal, some old-fashioned wood-and-pitch torches, dented pieces of armor, and a few Celestial bronze swords that were bent and broken. Such a waste. Luke needed another sword.

Hal rearranged boxes of books, shoes, a few bars of gold, and a small basket full of diamonds that he didn't seem interested in. He unearthed a two-foot-square metal floor safe and gestured at it like: Ta-da.

"Can you open it?" Luke asked.

Hal shook his head.

"Do you know what's inside?" Rhode asked.

Again, Hal shook his head.

"It's trapped," Luke guessed.

Hal nodded emphatically, then traced a finger across his neck.

Luke knelt next to the safe. He didn't touch it, but the son of Hermes held his hands close to the combination lock. The boy's fingers tingled with warmth as if the box were a hot oven. He concentrated until he could sense the mechanisms inside. What he found was not good, that was for sure.

"This thing is bad news," the blond muttered. "Whatever's inside must be important."

Thalia knelt next to him. "Luke, this is why we're here." Her voice was full of excitement. "Zeus wanted me to find this."

The older boy looked at her skeptically. He didn't know how she could have such faith in her dad. Zeus hadn't treated her any better than Hermes treated him. Besides, a lot of demigods had been led here. All of them were dead.

Still, Thalia fixed him with those intense blue eyes, and the son of Hermes knew this was another time Thalia would get her way.

Luke sighed. "You're going to ask me to open it, aren't you?"

"What was your first clue, Skywalker?" Rhode rolled her eyes, "You know how demanding and huffy Thals is."

"Shut up Rhode!" said girl retorted with mock anger, but Rhode just stuck her tongue out as Thalia huffed and turned back to Luke, "Can you?"

Luke chewed his lip. Maybe next time he teamed up with someone, he should choose someone he didn't like so much. The blond just couldn't say no to Thalia.

"People have tried to open this before," the boy warned. "There's a curse on the handle. I'm guessing whoever touches it gets burned to a pile of ashes." He stated and looked up at Hal. His face turned as grey as his hair. So that was a yes it seemed. Great.

"Can you bypass the curse?" Thalia asked him as Rhode got a little closer to see the vault.

"I think so, but it's the second trap I'm worried about."

"The second trap?" Rhode asked him.

"Nobody's managed to trigger the combination," Luke informed as his blue eyes narrowed with a frown on his face. "I know that because there's a poison canister ready to break as soon as you hit the third number. It's never been activated."

Judging from Hal's wide eyes, this was news to him.

"I can try to disable it," Luke said, "but if I mess up, this whole apartment is going to fill with gas. We'll die."

Thalia swallowed. "I trust you. Just…don't mess up."

Rhode reached over and patted the boy's arm and gave him an assuring smile, saying she knew he could do it.

Luke turned to the old man. "You could maybe hide in the bathtub. Put some wet towels over your face. It might protect you."

Hal shifted uneasily. The snakeskin fabric of his suit rippled as if it were still alive, trying to swallow something unpleasant. Emotions played across his face—fear, doubt, but mostly shame. Guess he couldn't stand the idea of cowering in a bathtub while three kids risked their lives. Or maybe there was a little demigod spirit left in him after all. He gestured at the safe like: Go ahead.

Luke touched the combination lock and concentrated so hard he felt like he was dead-lifting five hundred pounds. His pulse quickened as a line of sweat trickled down his nose. Finally the gears started turning. Metal groaned, tumblers clicked, and the bolts popped back. Carefully avoiding the handle, Luke pried open the door with his fingertips and extracted an unbroken vial of green liquid.

Hal exhaled as Rhode fell on her butt in relief.

Thalia kissed Luke on the cheek, which she probably shouldn't have done while he was holding a tube of deadly poison.

"You are so good," the sky child told him.

Did that make the risk worth it? Yeah, pretty much if the goofy smile on Luke's face was anything to go by.

"You guys are doing that weird googly eyes thing again."

"Rhode, stop talking. Now."

"What? I was just saying the truth is all." Rhode admitted. Seriously, her friends were so weird at times.

Luke shook his head and looked into the safe, and some of his enthusiasm faded. "That's it?"

Thalia reached in and pulled out a bracelet. It didn't look like much, just a row of polished silver links.

"An accessory?" Rhode asked. Maybe it was a shield or something like her own? Hers was still way cooler if it was though.

Thalia latched it around her left wrist. Nothing happened and she scowled, "It should do something. If Zeus sent me here—"

Hal clapped his hands to get their attention. Suddenly his eyes looked almost as crazy as his hair. He gesticulated wildly, but they had no idea what he was trying to say. Finally he stamped his snakeskin boot in frustration and led them back to the main room.

He sat at his computer and started to type. Luke glanced at the clock on his desk. Maybe time travelled faster in the house, or maybe time just flies when you're waiting to die, but it was already past noon. Their day was half over.

Hal showed us the short novel he'd written: **You're the ones! You actually got the treasure! I can't believe it! That safe has been sealed since before I was born! Apollo told me my curse would end when the owner of the treasure claimed it! If you're the owner—**

There was more, with plenty more exclamation points, but before anyone could finish reading, Thalia said, "Hold it. I've never seen this bracelet. How could I be the owner? And if your curse is supposed to end now, does that mean the monsters are gone?"

A clack, clack, clack from the hallway answered that question.

Luke frowned at Hal. "Do you have your voice back?"

He opened his mouth, but no sound came out. His shoulders slumped.

"Maybe Apollo meant we're going to rescue you," Rhode exclaimed, "I mean, whatever it is, it's got to help somehow, right?"

Hal typed a new sentence: **Or maybe I die today.**

Rhode slumped at that while Luke rolled his eyes and said, "Thank you, Mr. Cheerful, I thought you could tell the future. You don't know what will happen?"

Hal typed: **I can't look. It's too dangerous. You can see what happened to me last time I tried to use my powers.**

"Sure," the blond grumbled. "Don't take the risk. You might mess up this nice life you've got here."

Luke knew that was mean. But the old man's cowardice annoyed him. He'd let the gods use him as a punching bag for too long. It was time he fought back, preferably before Thalia, Rhode and he became the leucrotae's next meal.

Hal lowered his head. His chest was shaking, and Luke realized he was crying silently.

Rhode gave him a disapproving look as Thalia shot the blond an irritated one. Geez, talk about the wrong kind of teamwork. "It's okay, Hal. We're not giving up. This bracelet must be the answer. It's got to have a special power." Thalia said to the elderly man.

Hal took a shaky breath. He turned to his keyboard and typed: **It's silver. Even if it turns into a weapon, the monsters can't be hurt by any metal.**

Luke studied the empty enclosure, the metal panel through which the monsters had exited. If the apartment door wouldn't open again, and the window was covered by man-eating acid drapes, then that panel might be their only exit. They couldn't use metal weapons. He had a vial of poison, but if he was right about that stuff, it would kill everyone in the room as soon as it dispersed. Luke ran through another dozen ideas in his head, quickly rejecting them all.

"Hal, let me borrow your computer."

Hal looked doubtful, but he gave the blond his seat.

Luke stared at the screen. Honestly, He'd never used computers much as technology tended to attract monsters. But Hermes was the god of communication, roadways, and commerce. Maybe that meant he had some power over the Internet. They could really use a divine Google hit right about now.

"Just once," Luke muttered to the screen, "cut me some slack. Show me there's an upside to being your son." He begged quietly.

"What, Luke?" Thalia asked with a blink.

"Nothing."

The Web browser opened and he started typing. Luke looked up leucrotae, hoping to find their weaknesses. The Internet had almost nothing on them, except that they were legendary animals that lured their prey by imitating human voices.

He searched for "Greek weapons." and found some great images of swords, spears, and catapults, but it was doubtful they could kill monsters with low-resolution JPEGs. Luke typed in a list of things they had in the room—torches, Celestial bronze, poison, Snickers bars, Skittles, Pop Rocks, golf club—hoping that some sort of magic formula would pop up for a leucrota death ray. No such luck. He typed in _Help me kill leucrotae_. The closest hit he got was _Help me cure leukemia_.

Luke's head was throbbing. He didn't have any concept of how long he'd been searching until he looked at the clock: four in the afternoon. How was that possible?

Meanwhile, Thalia had been trying to activate her new bracelet, with no luck. She'd twisted it, tapped it, shaken it, worn it on her ankle, thrown it against the wall, and swung it over her head with a yell of "Zeus!" Nothing happened.

Rhode was pacing restlessly. Her green eyes were wild in a way, looking stir crazy. She went to the bathroom, splashing some water on her face to calm down, but it didn't work. She felt herself on a hairs trigger as she entered the room again.

"Rhode," Thalia said, placing a hand on her shoulder. Rhode tensed like a coil, "We'll be okay."

Rhode pursed her lips, "I don't like it here." She said, her voice tight. She felt boxed in and she did not like it!

Thalia's blue eyes donned an understanding glint, "I know you hate enclosed spaces. Just keep it together for a little bit longer, okay? We'll get out of here." She said, sounding confident.

Rhode grumbled, hugging her arms tightly. Thalia pulled her into a tight hug. The daughter of Poseidon appreciated it, Thalia could always get her to calm down.

Thalia's eyes cut to Luke's, Rhode following her field of vision. They looked at each other, and they knew they were all out of ideas. Then what Hal Green had told them crawled into their minds. All demigods started off hopeful. All of them had ideas for escape. All of them failed.

Luke soldiered his shoulders, frowning with a concentrated look. He couldn't let that happen. Thalia, Rhode, and he had survived too much to give up now. But for the life of him, literally, he couldn't think of anything else to try.

Hal walked over and gestured at the keyboard.

"Go ahead," Luke said dejectedly and they changed places.

 **Running out of time,** he typed. **I'll try to read the future.**

Thalia frowned. "I thought you said that was too dangerous."

 **It doesn't matter,** Hal typed. **Luke is right. I'm a cowardly old man, but Apollo can't punish me any worse than he already has. Perhaps I'll see something that will help you. Thalia, give me your hands.**

He turned to her and Thalia hesitated.

Outside the apartment, the leucrotae growled and scraped against the corridor. They sounded hungry.

Thalia placed her hands in Halcyon Green's. The old man closed his eyes and concentrated. He winced, then took a shaky breath. He looked up at Thalia with an expression of sympathy. He turned to the keyboard and hesitated a long time before starting to type.

 **You are destined to survive today,** Hal typed.

"That's—that's good, right?" Thalia asked. "Why do you look so sad?"

Hal stared at the blinking cursor. He typed, **Someday soon, you will sacrifice yourself to save your friends. I see things that are…hard to describe. Years of solitude. You will stand tall and still, alive but sleeping. Then you will breathe once more. Then, someday, you will find your family again.**

Thalia clenched her fists. She started to speak, then paced the room. Finally she slammed her palm against the bookshelves. "That doesn't make any sense. I'll sacrifice myself, but I'll live. Sleeping? You call that a future? I—I don't even have a family. Just my mom, and there's no way I'm going back to her."

Hal pursed his lips. He typed, **I'm sorry. I don't control what I see. But I didn't mean your mother.**

Rhode's eyes widened as Thalia almost backed up into the drapes. She caught herself just in time, but she looked dizzy, as if she'd just stepped off a roller coaster.

"Thalia?" Luke asked, as gently as he could. "Do you know what he's talking about?"

She gave this cornered look and Luke didn't understand why she seemed so rattled. The blond knew she didn't like to talk about her life back in L.A., but she'd told him she was an only child, and she'd never mentioned any relatives beside her mom.

"Thalia-" Rhode said softly, but the daughter of Zeus cut her off.

"Rhode, be quiet." She hissed, but her eyes were swarming with uncertainty. No, no, she looked, she did! All over in fact, but he wasn't anywhere. "Forget it. Hal's fortune-telling skills are rusty." Thalia said, but you could hear how even she didn't believe herself.

Rhode just moved over to her to help calm down.

"Hal," Luke said, "there's got to be more. You told us that Thalia will survive. How? Did you see anything about the bracelet? Or the goat? We need something that will help."

He shook his head sadly. He typed, **I saw nothing about the bracelet. I'm sorry. I know a little about Amaltheia the goat, but I doubt it will help. The goat nursed Zeus when he was a baby. Later, Zeus slew her and used her skin to make his shield—the aegis.**

Luke gained a thoughtful look, he remembered that story now. It seemed important, though he couldn't figure out why. "So Zeus killed his own mama goat. Typical god thing to do. Thalia, you know anything about the shield?"

She nodded, clearly relieved to change the subject. "Athena put the head of Medusa on the front of it and had the whole thing covered in celestial bronze. She and Zeus took turns using it in battle. It would frighten away their enemies."

The boy didn't see how the information could help. Obviously, the goat Amaltheia had come back to life. That happened a lot with mythological monsters—they eventually re-formed from the pit of Tartarus. But why had Amaltheia led them here?

A bad thought occurred to Luke. If he'd been skinned by Zeus, he definitely wouldn't be interested in helping him anymore. In fact, he might have a vendetta against Zeus' children. Maybe that's why Amaltheia had brought them to the mansion.

Hal Green held out his hands to Rhode. His grim expression told them it was her turn for a fortune telling.

Thalia seemed to give Rhode a look, like saying it wasn't worth it. But the daughter of Poseidon let go of her friend's hand and took a brave step forward and held out her hands.

Hal took her small hands into his clammy ones and had another concentrated look on his face. After a minute or two, he let go as he had a look of pity on his face.

That didn't make Rhode feel good at all.

Hal turned to the computer and typed, **You too shall survive today. To walk a path filled with troubles, on which wrath will be your bane. To Death's embrace and worse, shall you lose one you call brother.**

Rhode gulped at that, turning to her blue eyed friends with an unnerved look, "That's lovely." She laughed weakly. She was hoping she didn't have any brothers out there, because that sucked for them.

Luke didn't think it was, but Rhode didn't have a brother, right? Then again when have prophecies ever been clear? The old man looked to the blond boy and held out his hands to Luke.

A wave of dread washed over the boy. After hearing Thalia's and Rhode's futures, he didn't want to know his own. What if they survived, and he didn't? What if they all survived, but Thalia sacrificed herself to save them somewhere down the line, like Hal had mentioned? He couldn't bear that.

"Don't, Luke," Thalia said bitterly. "The gods were right. Hal's prophecies don't help anybody." She was still on edge and hearing Rhode's didn't fill her with any more confidence in Hal's ability.

The old man blinked his watery eyes. His hands were so frail, it was hard to believe he carried the blood of an immortal god. He had told them his curse would end today, one way or another. He'd foreseen Thalia and Rhode surviving. If he saw anything in Luke's future that would help, the boy had to try.

And with that, the son of Hermes gave his hands to the son of Apollo.

Hal took a deep breath and closed his eyes. His snakeskin jacket glistened as if it were trying to shed. Luke forced himself to calm down as he could feel Hal's pulse in his fingers—one, two, three. Hal's eyes flew open as he yanked his hands away and stared at the blond in terror.

"Okay," Luke said, his mouth going dry. "I'm guessing you didn't see anything good."

Hal turned to his computer. He stared at the screen so long you'd think he'd gone into a trance.

Finally he typed, **Fire. I saw fire.**

Thalia frowned, "Fire? You mean today? Is that going to help us?"

Hal looked up miserably and nodded.

"There's more," Luke pressed. "What scared you so badly?"

He avoided Luke's eyes. Reluctantly he typed, **Hard to be sure. Luke, I also saw a sacrifice in your future. A choice. But also a betrayal.**

The boy waited. Hal didn't elaborate.

"A betrayal," Thalia said, her tone was dangerous. "You mean someone betrays Luke? Because Luke would never betray anyone."

Hal typed, **His path is hard to see. But if he survives today, he will betray—**

Thalia roughly pulled away the keyboard. "Enough! You lure demigods here, then you take away their hope with your horrible predictions? No wonder the others gave up—just like you gave up. You're pathetic!"

Anger kindled in Hal's eyes. You wouldn't think the old man had it in him, but he rose to his feet. For a moment, it looked like he might've lunged at Thalia.

"Go ahead," Thalia growled. "Take a swing, old man. You have any fire left?"

"Stop it!" Rhode shouted loudly, getting everyone to look at her, "Just stop it okay, this fighting isn't going to do anything for us!" Hal slowly backed down as did Thalia, though she still looked like she wanted to smack the elderly demigod. Luke sighed in relief, but he could tell the old man was terrified of him now and personally, the boy didn't want to know what the old man saw.

Whatever nightmares were in the son of Hermes future, he had to survive today first.

"Fire," Luke mustered out, "You mentioned fire."

Hal nodded, then spread his hands to indicate he had no further details.

"Maybe that can hurt them!" Rhode said with a knitted brow, "I mean, Hal said that no metal can hurt them, but fire…" she trailed off. Everything had a weak spot, you just had to find it.

An idea buzzed in the back of Luke's head. Fire. Greek weapons. Some of the supplies they had in this apartment…the list he'd put into the search engine, hoping for a magic formula.

"What is it?" Thalia asked. "I know that look. You're on to something."

"Let me see the keyboard." The blond sat at the computer and did a new Web search.

An article popped up immediately.

Rhode leaned next to Luke and beamed up at him. "Luke, you're a bloody genius!"

"But I thought that stuff was just a legend?" Thalia inquired.

"Thals, we are things of legend. Duh."

"Oh shut it." Thalia said with a dull glare at the grinning Rhode.

"The problem is the recipe, we don't have it." Luke frowned at the screen, thinking of what to do.

Hal rapped his knuckles on the desk to get their attention. His face was animated. He pointed at his bookshelves.

"Ancient history books," Thalia said. "Hal's right. A lot of those are really old. They probably have information that wouldn't be on the Internet."

All four of them ran to the shelves and started pulling out books. Soon Hal's library looked like it had been hit by a hurricane, but the old man didn't seem to care. He tossed titles and flipped through pages as fast as the kids did. In fact, without him, they never would've found the answer. After lots of fruitless searching, he came racing over, tapping a page in an old leather-bound book.

Luke scanned the list of ingredients, and his excitement built. "This is it. The recipe for Greek fire."

How had he known to search for it? Perhaps his dad, Hermes, the jack-of-all-trades god, was guiding him, since the god had a way with potions and alchemy. Perhaps the blond had seen the recipe somewhere before, and searching the apartment had triggered that memory.

Everything they needed was in this room. Luke had seen all of the ingredients when we'd gone through the supplies from defeated demigods: pitch from the old torches, a bottle of godly nectar, alcohol from Hal's first-aid kit…and finally the one thing missing…

"A catalyst." The son of Hermes looked at Thalia. "We need lightning."

Her eyes widened. "Luke, I can't. Last time—"

Hal dragged them to the computer and typed, **You can summon lightning?**

"Sometimes," Thalia admitted. "It's a Zeus thing. But I can't do it indoors. And even if we were outside, I'd have trouble controlling the strike. Last time, I almost killed Luke."

Luke shivered at the mention as Rhode gave a giggling snort, getting a mock glare from the older boy.

What? She warned him not to get too close, but no, no one listens to the youngest one.

"It'll be fine." Luke tried to sound confident. "I'll prepare the mixture. When it's ready, there's an outlet under the computer. You can call down a lightning strike on the house and blast it through the electrical wiring."

"And set the house on fire," Thalia added.

"We got a bathroom," Rhode waved off, "I'll just use the pluming to put it out."

"Thank the gods we have a mini firefighter."

"I try." Rhode grinned as Thalia gave a smirk back.

Hal typed, **You'll do that anyway if you succeed. You do understand how dangerous Greek fire is?**

Rhode nodded quickly, "Read about it once or twice. It's magical fire. Whatever it touches, it burns. You can't put it out either." she answered.

"But if we can make enough for some kind of bomb and throw it at the leucrotae—" Luke trailed off.

"They'll burn." Thalia glanced at the old man. "But like Rhode said, fire can hurt them, right?"

Hal knit his eyebrows. **Indeed, it can work,** he typed. **But Greek fire will turn this room into an inferno. It will spread through the entire house in a matter of seconds.**

Luke looked at the empty enclosure. According to Hal's clock, they had roughly an hour before sunset. When those bars rose and the leucrotae attacked, they might have a chance—if the group could surprise the monsters with an explosion, and if they could somehow get around them and reach the escape panel at the back of the cage without getting eaten or burned alive. Too many ifs.

Luke's mind ran through a dozen different strategies, but he kept coming back to what Hal had said about sacrifice. The boy couldn't escape the feeling there was no way all four of them could get out alive.

"Let's make the Greek fire," the blond said with a shake of his head to clear his thoughts. "Then we'll figure out the rest."

Thalia, Rhode, and Hal helped him gather the things they needed. The group started Hal's stovetop and did some extremely dangerous cooking. Time passed too quickly. Outside in the hallway, the leucrotae growled and clacked their jaws.

The drapes on the window blocked out all sunlight, but the clock told them they were almost out of time.

Luke's face beaded with sweat as he mixed the ingredients. Every time he blinked, he remembered Hal's words on that computer screen, as if they'd been burned onto the back of his eyes: _A sacrifice in your future. A choice. But also a betrayal._

What did he mean? The boy was sure Hal hadn't told him everything. But one thing was clear: Luke's future terrified Hal.

The blond tried to focus on his work, he didn't know what he was doing, but he had little choice. Maybe Hermes was watching out for him, lending the boy some of his alchemy know-how. Or maybe he just got lucky. Finally they had a pot full of gloopy black gunk, which Luke poured into an old glass jelly jar and sealed the lid.

"There." he handed the jar to Thalia. "Can you zap it? The glass should keep it from exploding until we break the jar."

Thalia didn't look thrilled. "I'll try. I'll have to expose some wiring in the wall. And to summon the lightning, that'll take a few minutes of concentration. You guys should probably step back, in case…you know, I explode or something."

Rhode didn't look thrilled about that and glared at her. Thalia gave her a wink, promising she wouldn't.

"You better." Rhode said sternly as she moved past the male half-bloods quickly, "Got use the bathroom anyway." She mumbled, can't fight monsters with a full bladder. It just wasn't fun.

Thalia grabbed a screwdriver from Hal's kitchen drawer, crawled under the computer desk, and started tinkering with the outlet.

Hal picked up his green leather diary. He gestured for Luke to follow him. They walked to the closet doorway, where Hal took a pen from his jacket and flipped through the book. There were pages and pages of neat, cramped handwriting. Finally Hal found an empty page and scribbled something.

He handed the book to Luke.

The note read, **Luke, I want you to take this diary. It has my predictions, my notes about the future, my thoughts about where I went wrong. I think it might help you.**

Luke shook his head. "Hal, this is yours. Keep it."

He took back the book and wrote, **You have an important future. Your choices will change the world. You can learn from my mistakes, continue the diary. It might help you with your decisions.**

"What decisions?" the blond asked curiously. "What did you see that scared you so badly?"

His pen hovered over the page for a long time **. I think I finally understand why I was cursed,** he wrote. **Apollo was right. Sometimes the future really is better left a mystery.**

"Hal, your father was a jerk. You didn't deserve—"

Hal tapped the page insistently. He scribbled, **Just promise me you'll keep up with the diary. If I'd started recording my thoughts earlier in my life, I might have avoided some stupid mistakes. And one more thing—**

He set the pen in his diary and unclipped the celestial bronze dagger from his belt. He offered it to the boy.

"I can't," the blond told him. "I mean, I appreciate it, but I'm more of a sword guy. And besides, you're coming with us. You'll need that weapon."

He shook his head and put the dagger into Luke's hands. He returned to writing: **That blade was a gift from the girl I saved. She promised me it would always protect its owner.**

Hal took a shaky breath. He must've known how bitterly ironic that promise sounded, given his curse. He wrote, **A dagger doesn't have the power or reach of a sword, but it can be an excellent weapon in the right hands. I'll feel better knowing you have it.**

He met Luke's blue eyes, and the boy finally understood what he was planning. "Don't," Luke said hastily. "We can all make it out."

Hal pursed his lips and wrote, **We both know that's impossible. I can communicate with the leucrotae. I am the logical choice for bait. You, Rhode, and Thalia wait in the closet. I'll lure the monsters into the bathroom. I'll buy you a few seconds to reach the exit panel before I set off the explosion. It's the only way you'll have time.**

"No," Luke argued, he did not want this guy to give his life for them, it felt so wrong, just, not right at all!

But Hal's expression was grim and determined. He didn't look like a cowardly old man anymore. He looked like a demigod, ready to go out fighting.

Luke couldn't believe he was offering to sacrifice his life for three kids he'd just met, especially after he'd suffered for so many years. And yet, the blond didn't need pen and paper to see what he was thinking. This was his chance at redemption. He would do one last heroic thing, and his curse would end today, just as Apollo had foreseen.

He scribbled something and handed him the diary. The last word read: **Promise.**

Luke took a deep breath, and closed the book. "Yeah. I promise."

Thunder shook the house. They both jumped. Over at the computer desk, something went ZZZAP-POP! White smoke billowed from the computer, and a smell like burning tires filled the room.

Thalia sat up grinning. The wall behind her was blistered and blackened. The electrical outlet had completely melted, but in her hands, the jelly jar of Greek fire was now glowing green, "Someone order a magic bomb?" she asked.

"Well," Rhode walked in, shaking her hands as water rolled off them, amazement on her face, "At least the blast was more controlled this time."

"Shut up, Bubblehead. Water is way easier to control than lightning." Thalia huffed.

Rhode just shook her head, "Such a whiner."

"Am not!"

"Girls." Luke groaned. Man, he needed some guy friends or he was going to drown in estrogen.

Just then, the clock registered 7:03. The enclosure's bars began to rise, and the panel at the back started to open.

They were out of time.

The old man held out his hand.

"Thalia," Luke said. "Give Hal the Greek fire."

She looked back and forth between them. "But—"

"He has to." Luke's voice sounded more gravelly than usual. "He's going to help us escape."

Rhode looked at Hal with horror, "No! We can all get out." She pleaded, but Hal just shook his head. Thalia wanted to protest too, but bit her lip. She did not like this, it wasn't right, it wasn't fair.

The bars had risen halfway to the ceiling. The trapdoor ground open slowly. A red hoof thrust its way through the crack. Inside the chute, the leucrotae growled and clacked their jaws.

"There's no time," Luke warned. "Come on!"

Hal took the jar of fire from Thalia. He gave her and Rhode a brave smile, then nodded to the blond elf. Luke remembered the final word he'd written: Promise.

Luke slipped Hal's diary and dagger into his pack. Then he pulled Thalia and Rhode into the closet with him.

A split second later, they heard the leucrotae burst into the room. All three of the monsters hissed and growled and trampled across the furniture, anxious to feed.

"In here!" Hal's voice called. It must've been one of the monsters speaking for him, but his words sound brave and confident. "I've got them trapped in the bathroom! Come on, you ugly mutts!"

It was strange hearing a leucrota insult itself, but the ploy seemed to work. The creatures galloped toward the bathroom.

Luke gripped Rhode and Thalia's hands. "Now."

They burst out of the closet and sprinted for the enclosure. Inside, the panel was already closing. One of the leucrotae snarled in surprise and turned to follow them, but the kids didn't dare look back. They scrambled into the cage. Luke lunged for the exit panel, wedging it open with his golf club.

"Go, go, go!"

Rhode slid right through with ease thanks to her size and Thalia wriggled through as the metal plate started to bend the golf club.

From the bathroom, Hal's voice yelled, "You know what this is, you Tartarus scum dogs? This is your last meal!"

The leucrota landed on Luke. The boy twisted, screaming, as its bony mouth snapped at the air where his face had just been, but the blond managed to punch its snout, but it was like hitting a bag of wet cement.

Then something grabbed his arm. Thalia pulled him into the chute. The panel closed, snapping the golf club.

They crawled through a metal duct into another bedroom and stumbled for the door.

They heard Halcyon Green, shouting a battle cry: "For Apollo!"

And the mansion shook with a massive explosion.

The kids rushed into the hallway, which was already on fire. Flames licked the wallpaper and the carpet steamed. Hal's bedroom door had been blown off its hinges, and fire was pouring out like an avalanche, vaporizing everything in its path.

They reached the stairs. The smoke was so thick, they couldn't see the bottom. They stumbled and coughed, the heat searing to their eyes and lungs. They got to the base of the stairs, almost home free, when the leucrota pounced, knocking Luke flat on his back.

It must have been the one that followed them into the enclosure, it must have been far enough away from the explosion to survive the initial blast and had somehow escaped the bedroom, though it didn't look like it had enjoyed the experience. Its red fur was singed black. Its pointed ears were on fire, and one of its glowing red eyes was swollen shut.

"Luke!" Thalia screamed. She grabbed her spear, which had been lying on the ballroom floor all day, and rammed the point against the monster's ribs, but that only annoyed the leucrota.

It snapped its bone-plated jaws at them, keeping one hoof planted on Luke's chest. The boy couldn't move, and he knew the beast could crush his chest by applying even the slightest extra pressure.

Luke's eyes stung from the smoke and could hardly breathe. The blond saw Rhode summon her shield to smack the monster as Thalia continued to stab it, but a flash of metal caught Luke's eye—the silver bracelet.

Something finally clicked in Luke's mind: the story of Amaltheia the goat, who'd led them there. A shield. Thalia had been destined to find that treasure. It belonged to the child of Zeus.

"Thalia!" Luke gasped. "The shield! What was it called?"

"What shield?" she cried.

"Zeus's shield!" he suddenly remembered. "Aegis. Thalia, the bracelet—it's got a code word!"

It was a desperate guess. Thank the gods—or thank blind luck—Thalia understood. She tapped the bracelet, but this time she yelled, "Aegis!"

Instantly the bracelet expanded, flattening into a wide bronze disk—a shield with intricate designs hammered around the rim.

In the center, pressed into the metal like a death mask, was a face so hideous you would've run from it as fast as you could. Luke looked away, but the afterimage burned in his mind—hair of snakes, eyes glaring like hateful diamonds and a mouth lined with daggers.

Thalia thrust the shield toward the leucrota. The monster yelped like a puppy and retreated, freeing Luke from the weight of its hoof as Rhode quickly helped him up. Through the smoke, they watched the terrified leucrota run straight into the nearest drapes, which turned into glistening black tongues and engulfed the monster. The monster steamed. It began yelling, "Help!" in a dozen voices, probably the voices of its past victims, until finally it disintegrated in the dark oily folds.

"Hurry!" Thalia yelled as she took the stunned Luke's arm as they bolted to the door. They wondered how they were going to open the door when the avalanche of fire poured down the staircase and caught them. The building exploded and the shockwave blasted the front door open and shoved them outside.

The next thing they knew, they were sprawled in the traffic circle, coughing and gasping as a tower of fire roared into the evening sky. Luke looked for Thalia and Rhode, but instead found himself staring at the bronze face of Medusa. He screamed, somehow founding the energy to stand, and ran. He didn't stop until he was cowering behind the statue of Robert E. Lee.

Finally Thalia and Rhode caught up to him, Thalia's spear back in mace canister form, her shield reduced to a silver bracelet, Rhode's shield already back in its cuff bracelet form.

Together they stood and watched the mansion burn. Bricks crumbled. Black draperies burst into sheets of red fire. The roof collapsed and smoke billowed into the sky.

Rhode had tears streaming down her blackened face and rubbed them feverously as Thalia let loose a tear that etched through the soot on her own face, "He sacrificed himself," the older girl said. "Why did he save us?"

Luke hugged his knapsack and felt the diary and bronze dagger inside—the only remnants of Halcyon Green's life.

The boy's chest was tight, as if the leucrota was still standing on it. He'd criticized for Hal for being a coward, but in the end, he'd been braver than him. The gods had cursed him. He'd spent most of his life imprisoned with monsters. It would've been easy for him to let them die like all the other demigods before them. Yet he'd chosen to go out a hero.

Luke felt guilty that he couldn't save the old man and wished he could have talked to him longer. What had he seen in the blond's future that scared him so much?

 **Your choices will change the world,** he'd warned.

Luke didn't like the sound of that.

The sound of sirens brought the kids back to their senses.

Being runaway minors, Thalia, Rhode, and Luke had a strong distrust of the police and anybody else with authority. The mortals would want to question them, so they got out of there fast.

"Come on," Luke told Thalia and Rhode.

They ran through the streets of Richmond until they found a small park. They cleaned up in the public restrooms as best they could and went to lay low until it was fully night.

They didn't talk about what had happened. Rhode looked saddened as Thalia held her hand, the daughter of Zeus herself had a defeated look on her face. They wandered in a daze through neighborhoods and industrial areas. They had no plan, no glowing goat to follow anymore, and were bone tired, but none of them felt like sleeping or stopping. They just wanted to get as far as possible from that burning mansion.

It wasn't the first time they'd barely escaped with their lives, but they'd never succeeded at the expense of another demigod's life. Luke couldn't shake his grief.

 **Promise,** Halcyon Green had written.

 _I promise, Hal,_ Luke thought. _I will learn from your mistakes. If the gods ever treat me that badly, I will fight back._

Okay, yes that sounds like crazy talk. But he was feeling bitter and angry. If that makes the dudes up on Mount Olympus unhappy, tough. They can come down here and tell Luke to his face.

They stopped for a rest near an old warehouse. In the dim light of the moon, the painted name on the side of the red brick building: RICHMOND IRON WORKS. Most of the windows were broken.

Thalia shivered. "We could head to our old camp," she suggested. "On the James River. We've got plenty of supplies down there."

"I just want to get out of here." Rhode said in a tiny voice tone as Luke nodded to that. It would take at least a day to get there, but it was as good a plan as any.

He split his ham sandwich for the girls, as Rhode offered her Skittles stash to him, which he ate in silence along with the girls. Luke popped a red Skittle in his mouth when he heard a faint metal ping from a nearby alley. His ears started tingling, they weren't alone.

"Someone's close by," Luke said. "Not a regular mortal."

Rhode clenched her dagger handle as Thalia tensed. "How can you be sure?"

Luke didn't answer, but got to his feet. He pulled out Hal's dagger, mostly for the glow of the celestial bronze. Rhode drew her dagger as Thalia grabbed her spear and summoned Aegis. This time the blond knew better than to look at the face of Medusa, but its presence still made his skin crawl. They didn't know if this shield was the Aegis, or a replica made for heroes—but either way, it radiated power. It was easy to understand why Amaltheia had wanted Thalia to claim it.

They crept along the wall of the warehouse and turned into a dark alleyway that dead-ended at a loading dock piled with old scrap metal.

Luke pointed at the platform.

Thalia frowned and she whispered, "Are you sure?"

The boy nodded. "Something's down there. I sense it."

"Easy with the Force lingo, Skywalker." Rhode said, getting a dry look from Luke.

Just then there was a loud CLANG. A sheet of corrugated tin quivered on the dock. Something—someone—was underneath.

The group crept toward the loading bay until they stood over the pile of metal. Thalia readied her spear as Rhode aimed her dagger. The boy gestured for them to hold back as he reached for the piece of corrugated metal and mouthed, _One, two, three!_

As soon as he lifted the sheet of tin, something flew at him—a blur of flannel and blond hair. A hammer hurtled straight at his face.

Things could've gone very wrong, fortunately Luke's reflexes were good from years of fighting. He shouted, "Whoa!" and dodged the hammer, then grabbed the little girl's wrist. The hammer went skidding across the pavement.

The little girl struggled. She couldn't have been more than seven years old.

"No more monsters!" she screamed, kicking him in the legs. "Go away!"

"It's okay!" Luke tried his best to hold her, but it was like holding a wildcat. Thalia looked too stunned to move, but Rhode put her dagger away while the older girl still had her spear and shield ready.

"Thalia," Rhode nudged her friend, "put your shield away." She scolded, "You're scaring her!"

Thalia unfroze. She touched the shield and it shrank back into a bracelet and she dropped her spear.

"Hey, little girl," Thalia said in a gentle tone that reminded Rhode when it was just to two of them, huddled together at night and she was scared. "It's all right. We're not going to hurt you. I'm Thalia. This is Rhode and Luke."

"Monsters!" the child wailed.

"No," Rhode promised as she knelt next to the blonde child. The poor thing wasn't fighting as hard, but she was shivering like crazy, terrified of them. "But we know about monsters," the jet-black haired girl said. "We fight them too."

Luke held her, more to comfort than restrain now and eventually she stopped kicking. She felt cold and her ribs were bony under her flannel pajamas. The boy wondered how long this little girl had gone without eating. He had thought Rhode was young when she started at eight, but this girl was even younger.

Despite her fear, the girl looked at him with large eyes. They were startlingly grey, beautiful and intelligent. A demigod—no doubt about it. Luke got the feeling she was powerful—or she would be, if she survived.

"You're like me?" she asked, still suspicious, but she sounded a little hopeful too.

"Yeah," Luke promised. "We're…" he hesitated, not sure if she understood what she was, or if she'd ever heard the word demigod. Luke didn't want to scare her even worse. "Well, it's hard to explain, but we're monster fighters. Where's your family?"

The little girl's expression turned hard and angry. Her chin trembled. "My family hates me. They don't want me. I ran away."

Rhode's heart twisted at that, she knew that all too well, it was why she ran too. But seeing someone else like her…Luke and Thalia looked at one another and back to Rhode and they all made a silent decision right then and there. They would take care of this kid. After what had happened with Halcyon Green…well, it seemed like fate. They'd watched one demigod die for them. Now they'd found this little girl.

It was almost like a second chance.

Thalia knelt next to Rhode. She put her hand on the little girl's shoulder. "What's your name, kiddo?"

"Annabeth."

"That's a pretty name," Rhode smiled as the girl sniffled a bit and looked into her sea green eyes, "And you look scrappy too." She winked, trying her best to make the girl smile and tucked some blonde hair behind the girl's ear.

"We could use a fighter like you." Luke added, seeing what Rhode was getting at.

Annabeth's eyes widened. "You could?"

"Oh, yeah," Luke said earnestly. Then a sudden thought struck him and he reached for Hal's dagger and pulled it from his belt. It will protect its owner, Hal had said. He had gotten it from the little girl he had saved. Now fate had given them the chance to save another little girl.

"How'd you like a real monster-slaying weapon?" the older blond asked her. "This is celestial bronze. Works a lot better than a hammer."

Annabeth took the dagger and studied it in awe. Okay, yes she was seven years old at most. What was Luke thinking giving her a weapon? But she was a demigod. They had to defend themselves. Hercules was only a baby when he strangled two snakes in his cradle. By the time Luke was nine, he'd fought for his life a dozen times. Rhode and Thalia had been fighting since they were kids too, so why not?

"Knives are only for the bravest and quickest fighters," Luke told her, his voice caught as he remembered Hal Green, and how he'd died to save them. "They don't have the reach or power of a sword, but they're easy to conceal and they can find weak spots in your enemy's armor. It takes a clever warrior to use a knife. I have a feeling you're pretty clever."

Annabeth beamed at him, and for that instant, all Luke's problems seemed to melt. He felt as if he'd done one thing right. Luke swore to himself that he would never let this girl come to harm.

"I am clever!" she said.

Rhode patted Annabeth's arm, "I bet. I use one too, so I got a few tricks if you want to learn that is."

Annabeth nodded her head so fast, her blonde hair shook in excitement.

Thalia laughed and tousled the girl's hair. Just like that—they had a new companion, "We'd better get going, Annabeth," Thalia said. "We have a safe house on the James River. We'll get you some clothes and food."

Annabeth's smile wavered. For a moment, she had a wild look in her eyes again. "You're…you're not going to take me back to my family? Promise?"

Luke swallowed the lump out of his throat. Annabeth was so young, but she'd learned a hard lesson, just like Thalia, Rhode, and he had. Their parents (or relatives) had failed them. The gods were harsh and cruel and aloof. Demigods had only each other.

The blond put his hand on Annabeth's shoulder. "You're part of our family now. And I promise I'm not going to fail you like our families did us. Deal?"

"Deal!" she said happily, clutching her new dagger.

Thalia picked up her spear and smiled at Luke with approval. "Now, come on. We can't stay put for long!"

"Yeah," Rhode nodded and wrapped her arm around the younger girl's shoulder, "Let me tell you some funny stuff about these two." She pointed to Luke and Thalia, "Us younger kids need to stick together, they can be such weirdoes!"

"No we aren't!" Thalia declared with a glare, "Don't corrupt her, Rho."

"Please, if anything, that would be you, Thals." Rhode brushed off as Annabeth giggled at the exchange.

"Why you little-!"

Luke gave a smile, yeah, he had one heck of a family.

And to be honest, he wouldn't trade it for anything in the world.

"So let's get into how Luke's sword and acid didn't mix so well."

On second thought…

"Rhode!"

* * *

Currently Luke was on guard duty and writing in Halcyon Green's diary—his diary, about today's adventure.

They were camping in the woods south of Richmond. Tomorrow, they'd press on to the James River and restock their supplies. After that…the blond didn't know. Luke kept thinking about Hal Green's predictions. An ominous feeling weighed on his chest, there was something dark in his future. It may be a long way off, but it felt like a thunderstorm on the horizon, supercharging the air. Luke just hoped he'd have the strength to take care of his friends.

Looking at Thalia, Rhode, and Annabeth asleep by the fire, he was amazed how peaceful their faces were. Annabeth and Rhode were bundled together as the daughter of Poseidon had taken a shine to the girl instantly. Annabeth was huddled into Rhode as the girl was resting her head on Annabeth's, though she was drooling.

Yeah, Rhode drooled in her sleep, Luke found out the hard way and Thalia never let him forget it while laughing her butt off.

Perhaps in the morning, Annabeth would learn too. It seemed like some weird initiation for this rag tag group of theirs.

Responsibility weighed on Luke's shoulders as he gazed at his new family. His blue eyes narrowed determinedly, more then willing to accept the burden. He would keep his new family together, no matter what.

Luke look towards the north and imagined how long it would take to get to his mom's house in Westport, Connecticut, from here. He wonder what she was doing right now. She was in such a bad state of mind when he left.…

But he couldn't feel guilty about leaving her. He had to. If he ever met his dad, they were going to have a conversation about that.

For now, he'll just have to survive day to day. He'll write in this diary when he had the chance, though he doubted anyone would ever read it.

Luke shook his hand as it cramped up from writing so much. The stirring of Thalia drew his attention, it was her turn for guard duty. That was good, he needed some sleep.

Rhode mumbled in her sleep and started to nibble on Annabeth's blonde hair, getting her to squirm, kicking her little feet.

Okay, that was going to be funny to see in the morning, without a doubt.

Now where was one of Rhode's cameras…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, thank you Sieg for your stupendous editing job.
> 
> Nothing much to say, except that Big Hero 6 was awesome! Gods, I love Gogo.
> 
> This chapter was based off The Diary of Luke Castellan from the Demigod Diaries. Hoped you liked it XD
> 
> Now please review, no flames, and peace off.


	4. Prologue: Loss

**Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson or Harry Potter.**

**The Unrelenting Frozen Seas: The Journey**

**Prologue: Loss**

**Beta: Siegfried01**

**Edited: 12/18/14**

* * *

The group of demigods managed to make it to the safe house by the James River with no complications thankfully, monster or mortal. Said safe house was rather simple, nothing more than a tarp covered with branches and leaves as a roof hidden behind a woven circlet of more branches; a lamp, an icebox, a couple of kid-sized sleeping bags along with some spare cloths and blankets along with a couple of assorted weapons and medical supplies: just some choice supplies that Rhode and Thalia managed to snag over their travels.

Currently Annabeth was clothed in a pair of slightly too-long jeans and an oversized army-themed jacket with a red tee that went almost to her knees underneath it. The glaring difference in size was due to the fact that Rhode was the one closest to her in body size, and even then the daughter of the sea had at least half a head over the girl.

Their newest traveling companion was very pouty when she woke up covered in drool, glaring at Rhode as best as she could; in all honesty all it made her do was look adorable.

Turned out that Annabeth was a daughter of Athena, the goddess of wisdom and battle. The little girl said that she was claimed at birth, or that's what her dad had told her. Annabeth didn't like talking about him very much. All they knew was after Annabeth ran away, she said that Athena had guided and protected her for a while until the group found the young blonde in Richmond.

To appease the irate girl Rhode had offered to read her a book. Hey, she was a daughter of Athena so it had to work, right?

Apparently it did, and Rhode made sure to file that away for later, as Annabeth was currently perched in Rhode's lap as the older girl read a copy of the Iliad that Luke had stolen aloud in Ancient Greek for the small blonde. Annabeth quickly became fascinated by the story, asking for help with a few words that she didn't know.

Seeing Annabeth's eyes start to droop slightly, Rhode grinned. "Having fun, Bethy?"

"Stop calling me that!" The blonde whined, pouting as she did. Thalia and Rhode had taken it onto themselves to annoy her constantly with their nicknames. Originally she thought that having a nicknames would've been fun. Obviously she hadn't taken into account that two certain daughters of the sky and sea were the ones doing the naming.

Honestly! Annie and Bethy? Those names were stupid, and extremely annoying! Especially when the cousins sung it together. Her name was Annabeth; not Annie-Bethy!

"Nope," Rhode smirked as she closed her book, "as founding members of this little band of misfits, Thalia and I have all the nickname privileges. Especially cute ones."

"They're dumb!" Annabeth huffed as she crossed her tiny arms, standing up to make her slightly taller than Rhode who as still sitting.

"No, not really," the daughter of the sea snickered, gaining her another pout from the blonde scion of Athena.

Annabeth opened her mouth, most likely to shoot another retort, when a fluttering of feathers distracted her and she squeaked as a weight landed on her head. "Gah! Get it off!" She shrieked, flailing her arms wildly, causing Luke and Thalia to pause from their task of taking an inventory of their supplies.

"What's wrong?" Luke asked with his new sword out but blinked, "Um…"

There was a brown owl with a letter in its mouth roosting on Annabeth's head.

Said owl choked out a hoot from behind the large envelop made out of some kind of thick brown paper before dropping the envelop into Rhode's lap.

"Did that owl just deliver your mail?" Thalia asked incredulously as she retracted her spear, absentmindedly tucking the can of mace back into her pocket. As if understanding her, the owl bobbed its head at Rhode.

"I…think so."

"It could be mine!" Annabeth stated, "My mommy could've sent it!" Fluffing its feathers, the owl settled onto her hair before hooting sadly, shaking its head.

"I guess not, according to the owl." Rhode pointed out as she picked up the letter.

"To Rhode Jasmine Potter." she struggled to read the cursive font, it was a right bugger on her dyslexia. The green eyed child frowned though, she didn't use the Potter name for years, "James River, Virginia." The girl looked at her friends as they wondered how the heck it knew where she was, "Left side northern corner of the shack…okay this is getting weird. Like really, really weird." Rhode said as she looked around, worried she was being stalked.

"Rhode," Thalia said, walking up to her, "Maybe you should rip it up, or just throw it away." She stated cautiously, "Who knows what could be in it."

"That would be best." Luke nodded in agreement.

Rhode turned the letter around and read, "Hogwarts, School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

"Magic school?" Luke and Annabeth asked, one in disbelief the other in child-like wonder.

"Yep," Rhode pulled out the letter.

_HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY_

_Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore_

_(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,  
Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)_

_Dear Ms. Potter,_

_We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment._

_Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July._

_Yours sincerely,_

_Minerva McGonagall_

_Deputy Headmistress_

"Is this a joke?" Rhode let out a laugh.

Thalia snorted along in agreement, "I think so, it has to be some kind of prank."

Annabeth cocked her head to the side, thinking. It was a pretty weird joke. Luke was thinking along the same lines.

"Is it though?" the blond said, getting questioning looks from the older girls of the group. At the looks, he said, "I mean, someone just happened to train an owl to deliver Rhode mail about some magic school?" A look of doubt came to his face.

Thalia's brow knitted at that as she glanced at the owl, "But Luke, come on, magic school?" she said. It sounded ludicrous.

The owl on Annabeth's head hooted at her. Thalia just glared at it, "Shut up. Before we decide on owl stew for dinner tonight."

Annabeth glared at Thalia for that, but the older girl ignored her.

The blond boy shrugged, "We _are_ half-bloods. Who knows, right?" There was plenty of weird stuff out there.

Rhode frowned, "What should we do then?"

"I say we just burn it," the daughter of Zeus commented.

The owl hooted angrily at Thalia, "Bird, I will Kentucky fry you. Shut it." She snapped as her hand flickered with static.

The owl shut its beak.

Rhode looked at the letter cautiously, all them were giving it uneasy looks. "I'll reply, just in case." She said. The daughter of the sea took out a pencil and scribbled: Is this a joke? Either way, No!

Stuffing the letter back into the envelope, Rhode said, "Here," Giving it to the owl.

The owl gave a sad hoot, taking the letter and flying away.

* * *

The group was making their way through Pennsylvania and had stopped to take a break in an open field. Next to their field a stream slithered its way lazily around the surrounding hills as the summer flowers danced in the light breeze. It had been several days now since Annabeth had joined them too.

The screech of metal meeting metal echoed out, breaking the peaceful atmosphere.

Sidestepping a thrust from Thalia's spear, Luke struck the side of the shaft, sending Thalia off balance as he quickly followed up with a jab to her ribs. Using the momentum from her stumble, Thalia used the other end of her spear to parry, twirling around and sending a trifecta of swift stabs at Luke, forcing him on the defensive.

Spinning her spear, Thalia sent the tip rocketing down at Luke like the axe of an executioner, forcing him to roll away. Her jacket had been discarded for this spar, showing off her Rolling Stones tee, giving her a wider range of movement.

"Go Luke!" Annabeth cheered from her place off to the side, Rhode was sitting next to her, her eyes razor sharp as she scanned the duel. She smirked as Luke sent a flurry of slashes at Thalia, the daughter of Zeus using her superior reach to parry them with ease and retaliate almost instantly. Immediately gaining the momentum in this battle.

"Hey, Bethy," the daughter of Poseidon grinned, drawing her little friend's attention, "I bet you my Skittles for your Hersey Bar that Thalia will win in…" Rhode scanned the fight again, "under the next minute."

"What?" Annabeth blinked, "No way, it's pretty even." She disagreed.

"So no bet?"

"…Your Skittles will be mine."

The two girls shook on it, turning back to the fight.

Thalia reared back to avoid a slash, sweat flying off her skin. Swinging the butt of her spear at Luke's knees, she smirked viciously when the son of Hermes wince and stumbled at the hit.

The daughter of Zeus capitalized on this by slammed the butt of her spear into his diaphragm. Luke expelled some air as he fell onto his back, his sword kicked out of his hand. He tried to get back up, but Thalia's steel toed boot found its way on his chest, keeping him down.

Luke's Adam's apple bounced nervously as the tip of her spear poked it gently.

"Aannd…I win," Thalia grinned, panting slightly. Patting Luke's check teasingly with the flat of her spear, her smirk grew wider as Luke grumbled. "Again."

"What's the score?" She teased, twirling her spear like a conductor's baton. Luke's answer was to shove himself to his knees, grumbling even more. Nodding self-assuredly, she smiled. "Yep!" She said, popping the 'P' as her smile turned lopsided, "Me? A lot. You? None. C'mon Luke, up your game," she teased, digging the point of her spear into the dirt as she gave him a hand.

The blond boy accepted it and grunted, standing up and bent down for his sword, sheathing it, "I am, you just like to beat me up."

"Someone has to." The raven haired girl stated, leaning against the black shaft of her weapon.

"I think he enjoys getting his butt whooped."

"Rhode!" Luke exclaimed, cheeks flustered at the thought.

Thalia was the same, but snuffed out the color quickly and glared at her best friend, "Very funny, Bubblehead."

Rhode shrugged, "Just an observation." She said, getting Thalia to shake her head. The black haired girl looked to Annabeth, "So, Bethy, that Hersey Bar, please." She held out her palm.

Annabeth grumbled and shifted through her small backpack. She pulled out the chocolate bar and gave it to Rhode, pouting the whole way.

"Thank you for your business." The daughter of Poseidon smiled, stashing it in her bag.

"Rhode, you're up." Thalia said.

Rhode blinked, "Want to take a breather first?"

"Nah, I'm in the zone. Plus, you could use the handicap."

Rhode shed off her green and yellow hoodie, pulling out her Pez Dispenser, "Oh, we'll see." She grinned, summoning her spear.

Luke moved and sat next to Annabeth and wiped his sweat covered brow. He noticed she was glaring at him, "What?"

"I lost a Hersey Bar because of you…you couldn't last ten seconds longer?"

Luke just stared at her dryly, "You were honestly betting on us?"

"Yes." Annabeth pouted, crossing her little arms. She'd have to re-evaluate betting on Luke again.

The blond rolled his icy blue eyes, "Well, Thalia's tough. It happens."

He got an accusing finger pointed at him for his troubles, "Excuses…you owe me a Hersey Bar."

"Let's just watch the duel." The son of Hermes smooth talked, making Annabeth draw her eye greys away from him.

Rhode and Thalia were about three meters apart as they circled another. Thalia at her spear pointing forward, her left hand on the middle of the shaft as her right was in the back, ready to thrust.

Rhode was in a similar stance, but her spear was set up in a more slashing angle as her left hand clasped tightly near the back of the light brown shaft, her right palm cradled the wood just mid-way towards the tip.

There was just silence as the wind swept by and Thalia took the initiative, going for a thrust, but Rhode, bashed it away, swinging the butt of her weapon towards Thalia's head. Her cousin ducked, backing off a few steps and charged in once more.

Rhode side stepped and swung her weapon in a flurry of slashes, aiming low and high randomly, keeping Thalia on her toes as she dodged and swatted the attacks away.

Despite the duel happening, a smile came to Rhode's face. She loved this, her blood was pumping with excitement, the rush of her movements, putting her skills to the test.

And showing Thalia just how tough she was.

When Thalia and Rhode usually dueled, the daughter of Zeus would usually win. Occasionally, with a little trickery or with some water, Rhode could pull off a win. But even then, it was difficult. Mainly because static hurt! Like, a lot!

But no tricks this time, she was going to win. Rhode knew it!

She went for a jab and twisted out of the way of Thalia's returning thrust. Thalia swung low, making Rhode hop back and bend her knees, lunging with a thrust.

The daughter of Zeus moved, batting the spear away as she swung the butt of her own weapon at Rhode's arm, which she ducked under with a roll.

Rhode broke the engagement, taking a few paces back, almond-shaped eyes narrowed, but her smile still in place.

Thalia also had a smile as she spin her spear a little and pressed her aggressive assault as she went for a piercing strike.

Rhode did the same, their spearheads scraping one another as they veered off course. They were close as Thalia went for a punch. Rhode swayed out of the way and kicked Thalia in the shin.

"Ow!" Thalia yelped, hopping back a little, glaring at the impish look on Rhode's face, "Oh it is so on now."

"I thought it already was?"

"I'm so whooping your butt."

They grinned at one another and got back to the fight.

Annabeth was awed by how the two girls of the Big Three were going at it. The blonde wanted to fight like that someday.

Luke took a sip of water as the duel went on, neither girl backing down and looking like they were having a blast.

Rhode went for a strike at Thalia's knee, which was blocked, but she spun around the block. A glint caught Thalia's eye as she lashed out her free hand, block the spear strike and caught Rhode's hand that held her dagger.

She wrenched it out of Rhode's hand and swept her legs from under. Rhode fell on her back with a grunt.

The daughter of Poseidon was about to get up, but Thalia pinned down her body and arms by pressing the shaft of her spear against her, "And I win." Thalia grinned, panting from the fight. Sweat dripped from the tip of her nose. "I hate it when you use your dagger, I gotta be extra careful. Still, you're getting way better." She complimented with a wink.

Plus, she was feeling pretty winded, so Thalia had to finish the fight fast.

Rhode was also panting, blinking out some sweat. Her lips formed a pout, "I'll win next time." She assured.

"Sure." Thalia playfully rolled her blue eyes, brushing off her bravado. A second later, her face was doused in a splash from the small stream they were near. Thalia sputtered and spat out water. Under her damp bangs, Thalia glared at the innocently smiling Rhode.

"You looked hot. Just wanted to cool you down."

"Why you little-!"

"Ah!" Rhode cried out as Thalia pulled her in a headlock and they started to wrestle.

"Think that was funny?"

"Yes!" Rhode shot back, trying to wiggle out of the hold.

"Dry me!"

"Bleh!"

The blonds in the distance were laughing at the mock fight the two were having.

"Come on, Rhode!" Annabeth cheered with a giggle.

"Go Thalia!" Luke whistled as the two cousins were rolling around in the grass, struggling to get a hold on one another.

"Noggie!" Thalia declared.

Rhode yelped, "Ow! Wet Willy!"

"Ew, ah, gross! Indian Burn!"

"Ouch, ow! Wedgie!"

"Hey! Not the boxers!"

Even with their juvenile fighting, the two girls were laughing the entire time.

* * *

The four demigods were running through the woods in Westport, Connecticut. All of them were beaten up since they'd been in some battles.

"Just a little farther!" Luke promised. Annabeth stumbled, and he took her hand. Rhode was in the middle as she was holding her spear in her right hand while cradling her left hand that was swollen and angled in a way it shouldn't be. Thalia brought up the rear, brandishing her shield as she was driving back the monsters chasing them while limping on her left leg.

The latest monster attack had gotten them by surprise and Thalia got injured. Rhode had gone ballistic at that and destroyed five of the monsters in fury while busting her hand in the process.

They scrambled to a ridge and looked down the other side at a white Colonial house.

"All right," Luke said, breathing hard. "I'll just sneak in and grab some food and medicine. Wait here."

"Luke, are you sure?" Thalia asked. "You swore you'd never come back here. If she catches you -"

"We don't have a choice!" he growled. "They burned our nearest safe house. And you've got to treat that leg wound and Rhode needs her hand healed."

"This is your house?" Annabeth said with amazement.

"It was my house," Luke muttered. "Believe me, if it wasn't an emergency -"

"Is your mom really horrible?" Annabeth asked curiously. "Can we see her?"

"No!" Luke snapped.

Annabeth shrank away from him since his anger surprised her. Rhode wrapped her steady arm around her and glared at Luke. She knew they were stressed out and tired, but they couldn't lose it with each other, not now.

"I…I'm sorry," the blond amended with haggard eyes, "Just wait here. I promise everything will be okay. Nothing's going to hurt you. I'll be back -"

A brilliant golden flash illuminated the woods. The demigods winced, and a man's voice boomed: "You should not have come home."

"What was that?" Rhode muttered as she held Annabeth closely while scanning around as Thalia and Luke did the same.

"I don't know." The boy muttered with weary icy blue eyes, "Let's…Let's just get the stuff and get out, fast."

It was what they intended to do at least, until the group met their first Olympian.

Hermes, the messenger god, stood in the old home of Luke along with this tall old woman that was as thin as a scarecrow, had weird cloudy eyes, and had white hair that stuck out in tufts all over her head.

Her name was May.

In May's living room, candles flickered on the fireplace mantel, reflected in the mirrors along the walls. In the kitchen, Thalia was sitting at the table while Ms. Castellan bandaged her wounded leg. Annabeth sat next to her, playing with a Medusa beanbag toy as Rhode played with the blonde as her hand rested in a bowl of water, healing her busted wrist.

Hermes and Luke stood apart in the living room.

The god's face looked liquid in the candlelight, like he couldn't decide what shape to adopt in front of his son. He was dressed in a navy blue jogging outfit with winged Reeboks.

"Why show yourself now?" Luke demanded. His shoulders were tense, as if he expected a fight. "All these years I've been calling to you, praying you'd show up, and nothing. You left me with her." He pointed toward the kitchen like he couldn't bear to look at his mother, much less say her name.

"Luke, do not dishonor her," Hermes warned sternly, icy blue eyes narrowed. "Your mother did the best she could. As for me, I could not interfere with your path. The children of the gods must find their own way."

"So it was for my own good. Growing up on the streets, fending for myself, fighting monsters."

"You're my son," Hermes said proudly. "I knew you had the ability. When I was only a baby, I crawled from my cradle and set out for -"

"I'm not a god! Just once, you could've said something. You could've helped when-" Luke took an unsteady breath, lowering his voice so no one in the kitchen could overhear "-when she was having one of her fits, shaking me and saying crazy things about my fate. When I used to hide in the closet so she wouldn't find me with those . . . those glowing eyes. Did you even care that I was scared? Did you even know when I finally ran away?"

In the kitchen, Ms. Castellan chattered aimlessly, pouring Kool-Aid for Thalia, Rhode, and Annabeth as she told them stories about Luke as a baby. Thalia rubbed her bandaged leg nervously. Rhode looked uncomfortable, fingering her pearl just as nervously. Annabeth glanced into the living room and held up a burned cookie for Luke to see. She mouthed, Can we go now?

"Luke, I care very much," Hermes said slowly, "but gods must not interfere directly in mortal affairs. It is one of our Ancient Laws. Especially when your destiny . . ." His voice trailed off. He stared at the candles as if remembering something unpleasant.

"What?" Luke asked. "What about my destiny?"

"You should not have come back," Hermes muttered. "It only upsets you both. However, I see now that you are getting too old to be on the run without help. I'll speak with Chiron at Camp Half-Blood and ask him to send a satyr to collect you."

"We're doing fine without your help," Luke growled and balled his fists. "Now, what were you saying about my destiny?"

The wings on Hermes's Reeboks fluttered restlessly. He studied his son like he was trying to memorize his face, "My son," he said, "I'm the god of travelers, the god of loads. If I know anything, I know that you must walk your own path, even though it tears my heart."

"You don't love me."

Hermes looked as though he'd been struck, "I promise I . . . I do love you. Go to camp. I will see that you get a quest soon. Perhaps you can defeat the Hydra, or steal the apples of Hesperides. You will get a chance to be a great hero before . . ."

"Before what?" Luke's voice was trembling now. "What did my mom see that made her like this? What's going to happen to me? If you love me, tell me."

Hal had only hinted, and it horrified the man. If Hermes, a god, knew Luke's so called destiny, than he should say it!

Hermes's expression tightened. "I cannot."

The boy's eyes widened, his chest felt like it was being twisted, "Than you don't care!" Luke yelled.

In the kitchen, the talking died abruptly.

"Luke?" May Castellan called. "Is that you? Is my boy all right?"

Luke turned to hide his face, but he had tears in his eyes. "I'm fine. I have a new family. I don't need either of you."

"I'm your father," Hermes insisted, almost pleadingly.

"A father is supposed to be around. I've never even met you. Thalia, Rhode, Annabeth, come on! We're leaving!"

"My boy, don't go!" May Castellan called after him. "I have your lunch ready!"

Luke stormed out the door, Thalia, Rhode, and Annabeth scrambling after him. May Castellan tried to follow, but Hermes held her back.

Rhode looked back and saw that Hermes was almost in tears, biting his lip to prevent himself from shouting after Luke. A part of Rhode couldn't help but feel sorry for the god. She frowned and turned towards her group, following them in a hurry. She inwardly wondered how her meeting with her own father would go. She hoped it wasn't going to be like this.

Hermes held May's thrashing body, who was crying out for her child. He could only swallow heavily as his heart ached over what had transpired with Luke.

* * *

As the group left, they could still hear May's screams as Luke was feverishly wiping his eyes. He felt a tug on his sleeve and saw a worried Annabeth looking up at him, "Are you okay, Luke?" she asked in a worried voice with those big grey eyes.

The blond swallowed heavily, "Yeah," he pushed out as he tried his best to smile for Annabeth, to make her not worry about him, "Just, just a little tired, kiddo." He ruffled her blonde hair.

"Let's find a safe location for camp, guys." Rhode said, hefting her pack.

"I'm all for that." Thalia said, rubbing her wrapped up wound, "Need to rest this off and we could all get some sleep."

"I'll take watch." Luke said with finality, he really didn't want sleep right now anyway.

They later found a clearing and set up camp. Annabeth fell asleep the fastest as she rested in Rhode's lap and the sea child stroked her blonde hair kindly. Thalia was laying down on her bag as Luke was poking the ground with a stick as night was soon setting in.

"Luke-"

"Not now Rhode, please." The boy said with a pained tone. Begging her not to ask the question she had on her mind.

Thalia and Rhode looked at one another. Luke had told them about his mom, her fits and the glowing eyes, the strange things she would say, he made them promise not to tell anyone. Annabeth was so young, she probably didn't even understand what had just happened except that Luke was upset with his parents.

If he didn't want to talk about, that was fine. As long as they were there, showing he had a family, that was the best they could do for the blond boy right now.

"Just get some sleep, Rhode." Thalia added, not wanting to bother Luke, this was a major event for him. He needed to calm down for tomorrow.

They didn't understand why, but the monster attacks were getting more frequent.

"Right." Rhode nodded and gently laid Annabeth on her bag. The daughter of Poseidon laid down too, being mindful not to drool on the blonde.

Tomorrow was another day, just another day to try and survive.

* * *

After that night the group left his mom's house, Luke had changed. He just kept being reckless and moody, like he had something to prove. It didn't matter what Thalia or Rhode told him, he just kept picking fights with every monster they crossed. Annabeth didn't seem to understand what was going on or why her older friends were arguing.

Wasn't killing monsters good?

But one night they were attacked, again. These giant black dogs the size of rhinos with molten red eyes had found them. There were six of them. The older kids took two each while Annabeth stayed back for her safety. Even with learning a thing or two about using her dagger from Rhode, the plucky blonde wasn't ready for vicious Hellhounds yet.

One of the massive dog lunged at Rhode, but she held her shield firmly in front of her with her spear at the ready. Just as it was about to land on her, Rhode rolled forward and pushed her spear up at the dog, stabbing it right in the gut. It landed in a heap and melted into shadows.

The second black hound, baring its savage maw, pounced at Rhode. She side stepped, bashing it in the face with her shield and sliced off an ear with her spear. The hellish beast howled in pain and growled throatily, charging at her once more, baring its sharp claws.

The daughter of Poseidon rolled out of the way and dismissed her shield. The black dog turned around only to get a dagger in the face, killing it. Rhode was posed on her knee, her right hand stretched out after throwing her dagger with great accuracy.

"Rhode," Annabeth cheered and run up to her friend since all the monsters were gone, "That was so cool!" she said in her squeaky voice.

Rhode smiled and patted her small friend, "Thanks, Bethy."

Luke pulled his sword out of the ground after his final stab while Thalia wiped her brow since she had finished her opponents too.

"Well, that was fun." Thalia said sarcastically and turned to Rhode and Annabeth to tell them to regroup but her voice died in her throat as her electric blue eyes widened in horror.

Luke saw it too and shouted, "Move!" he told them.

Rhode turned. They had miscounted. There were seven of them.

The daughter of Poseidon could have held up her spear maybe, but all her instincts did was push Annabeth roughly out of the way and bring out her shield once more.

Her friends cried out her name as Rhode tensed behind her defense, waiting for the collision. But it never came. There was a whistling in the air, followed by a dozen thwacks, and then something landed roughly.

Rhode looked from behind her shield and saw that about a dozen silver arrows had skewered the monster dog as it melted into the night. She looked to where the arrows came up and up on the nearby hill were about maybe a dozen and a half girls. They were wearing white shirts, silver jackets, silvery camo pants and black combat boots while holding silver bows. The strangest thing about them was they had this silvery glow about them that made the girls seem regal in a way as the moon shone brightly.

"Four half-bloods, Milady." One had said with some kind of accent, Rhode couldn't really place it, but it sounded old-fashioned. She was tall and graceful with coppery colored skin. Unlike the other girls, she had a silver circlet braided into the top of her long dark hair, so she looked like some kind of Persian princess. She had dark brown eyes and a slightly upturned nose.

The one she had addressed looked only a bit older then Rhode, probably Thalia's age. She had auburn hair gathered back in a ponytail and strange eyes, silvery yellow like the moon. Her face was so beautiful it was something you would see in a painting or a sculpture, but her expression was stern and dangerous.

"I see, Zoë." The clear leader of the group said as she looked at the group of demigods, "It seems to be a roaming group."

"They're both here." The girl, Zoë, said looking at Thalia and Rhode intently.

"Indeed." The leader said, her lips curling into a small smile.

Thalia got in front of Rhode and Annabeth as Luke walked up behind her. The daughter of Zeus said, "Who are you guys?" she demanded, her eyes suspicious and body tense for these unknowns, despite helping their group.

The girl named Zoë frowned, like Thalia had said something wrong. But the leader just raised her hand in the air to halt her words, "Calm yourself, Zoë. They are on edge from just fighting a pack of hellhounds and are ignorant of us." The shorter girl said softly and walked down the hill and stood before Thalia, "I am Artemis," she said. "Goddess of the Hunt. These are my hunters." She addressed to the girls behind her.

"What?" Thalia said, dumbfounded.

That was what Rhode was thinking too. But also, if she was a goddess…Why was she so short?

Artemis announced. "Zoë, we will rest here for tonight. Raise the tents. Treat the wounded."

"Yes, my lady."

* * *

The Hunters set up their camping site in a matter of minutes. Seven large tents, all of silver silk, curved in a crescent around one side of a bonfire. One of the girls blew a silver dog whistle, and a dozen white wolves appeared out of the woods. They began circling the camp like guard dogs. The Hunters walked among them and fed them treats. Falcons watched them from the trees, their eyes flashing in the firelight like they were on guard duty too. Even the weather seemed to bend to the goddess' will. The air was still hot, but not as bad as before and the bright moon seemed to complement the fire pleasantly.

A broad ginger with milky skin called Phoebe was summoned over by Zoë to deal with healing any injuries they might have suffered. Thankfully it wasn't much; the worse among them was Annabeth who had a cut on her check but that was healed in a second, the rest of them just had a couple of scratches.

Though, Phoebe didn't even glance at Luke, she simply tossed him a roll of gauze for the cut on his arm; when she did though, her eyes shone with disgust. This of course caused some tension between her and the girls, Thalia forcing her fist not to break out into sparks.

"Thalia Grace, Rhode Evans." The old-fashion voice of Zoë said, getting the two girls to look at her.

"Just Thalia." Thalia said on reflex and Zoë nodded.

"Follow me, Lady Artemis wishes to speak with you two."

"What about us?" Annabeth asked the hunter, looking up at her.

Zoë gave her this soft smile, "I'm sorry little one, but our goddess wishes to speak with these two, alone."

"Okay." Annabeth nodded reluctantly as Luke frowned, wondering what the goddess wanted.

Rhode and Thalia stood up and walked behind Zoë as she led them to the last tent, which looked no different from the others.

"So, who are you?" Thalia asked the hunter.

"I am Zoë Nightshade, Lady Artemis' Lieutenant. While Milady is away on her godly duties, I am in charge of the Hunters."

"That's pretty cool." Rhode commented, getting a slight smirk from the hunter.

"Indeed." She answered and waved them inside.

The inside of the tent was warm and comfortable. Silk rugs and pillows covered the floor. In the center, a golden brazier of fire seemed to burn without fuel or smoke. Behind the goddess, on a polished oak display stand, was her huge silver bow, carved to resemble gazelle horns. The walls were hung with animal pelts: black bear, tiger, and several others the girls didn't recognize. It looked like Artemis had another animal pelt lying next to her, but it was a live animal - a deer with glittering fur and silver horns, its head resting contentedly in the goddess' lap.

"Join me, Thalia Grace, Rhode Evans," the goddess said.

"Just Thalia." The daughter of Zeus said again, never liking her surname as usual. Both girls sat across from her on the tent floor. The goddess studied them, which was kind of weird if Rhode was honest. She had such old eyes for a young girl.

"Are you surprised by my age?" she asked them.

"Uh... a little." Rhode admitted. Thalia nodded in agreement.

"I could appear as a grown woman or anything else I want, but this is what I prefer. This is the average age of my Hunters, and all young maidens for whom I am patron, before they go astray."

"Go astray?" Thalia asked with a raised brow.

"Grow up. Become smitten with boys. Become silly, preoccupied, and insecure. Forget themselves." The goddess answered as Zoë sat down at Artemis' right.

"Oh." The raven-haired girl said with a furrowed brow.

"Boys are weird." Rhode said with a nod. She still remembered the talk that she and Thalia had about babies.

Artemis and Zoë seemed amused by this, "Indeed they are, young Rhode." The goddess smiled a small smile.

"So what do you want to talk about?" Thalia asked, as blunt as a two by four, just wanting to get down to business as to why a goddess wanted to see them personally.

"Ah, straight to the point. I like that." The goddess nodded, "It is simple, I wish for you two to join the hunt."

Thalia and Rhode looked at one another and back to the goddess, "The hunt?" Thalia asked, unsure what she meant.

"My Hunters follow me on my adventures. They are my maidservants, my companions, and my sisters-in-arms. Once they swear loyalty to me."

"So, what's so great about the hunt?" the punkette asked, leaning back as she supported herself on her palms.

"To begin with," Zoë said with a smirk, "immortality."

Thalia stared at her, then at Artemis. "She's kidding, right?" but she sounded intrigued by the idea.

"Zoë rarely kids about anything," Artemis said with a shake of her head, a small smile playing at the corners of her lips, "My hunters are indeed immortal...unless they fall in battle, which is unlikely. Or break their oath."

"What oath?" Rhode said curiously.

"To foreswear romantic love forever," the goddess answered. "To never grow up, never get married. To be a maiden eternally."

"Like you?"

The goddess nodded.

Thalia looked at the goddess after a moment of thought, "So you recruit demigods like us?"

"Not just half-bloods," Zoë explained. "Lady Artemis does not discriminate by birth. All who honor the goddess may join. Half-bloods, nymphs, mortals."

"So, like a melting pot?" Rhode said in thought.

Zoë paused for a moment, then nodded, "Tis a reasonable example." And then continued, "You become naturally stronger and faster than any mortal, demigod, or nymph." Zoë said, her words were like honey, "Your skills with a bow grow greatly, and most of all, we hunt the monsters, they flee from us in fear."

Thalia's eyes glazed in thought, she was liking this more and more. Getting back at all the monsters that terrorized them when they were younger, being so strong…yeah, that sounded good.

Rhode thought it sounded a lot like the Lost Boys, never growing up, just having fun. No more running, no more hiding, a goddess watching over her…maybe even like a parent.

Not that she didn't love her dad! But, after surviving for three years and just praying to him, well, she just wanted to meet him, ask him questions…know what he looks like. Okay, maybe that was selfish of her since he was a god and had godly things to do, like rule the sea. Rhode guessed she should be grateful he answered her prayers at least.

Thalia shook out of her thoughts, "But, what about our friends?" she asked.

Artemis frowned, "For Athena's daughter, normally I do not recruit so young. They do not understand the choice at such an age and it would be unjust of me to bind a child of her age bracket. Care for them I most certainly will. But to invite them? Well, in the future hopefully."

"And Luke?" Thalia asked.

Zoë spoke up, "He will either find his way on his own or die." Her words were blunt and unforgiving, shocking the younger girls at how casually she said them.

Artemis gave her faithful friend a side-glance for the latter comment, but did not disagree.

"What? No!" Thalia shouted, getting to her feet, "We've traveled together for months, I can't-! We can't just leave him like that!" she said, heat in her tone.

Zoë scoffed at her, "He is a man, and like all men, they are a waste of space."

"Says you!" Thalia said, her hands clenched, "If it wasn't for that 'waste of space', me and Rhode would be dead a few weeks back!"

"Please, thou are acting like a fool."

"Oh yeah? What would you know?" Thalia said, her temper flaring.

"I have been around long to know how little heroes end up, child."

"Oh, so you're an old hag then?"

An irate look flashed across Zoë as she rose to her feet, "You ill-tempered child." she said, annoyance lacing her voice.

"Ill-tempered, huh?" Thalia's eyes turned stormy, glaring at the lieutenant of Artemis. "At least I don't have some gender superiority complex!" The raven-haired girl said heatedly. The girl just rubbed Thalia the wrong way.

Zoë gave Thalia a chilling glare, "Thou will regret this choice, girl. Thou will see, like every other man, he will let thee down someday. As they always do."

Thalia was about to retort before Artemis voice cut them off like a harsh wind.

"Enough." the goddess commanded, making the girls cow under her stern gaze. She turned to her half-sister, a tiny frown on her face, "Thalia, I would ask you not to insult one of my hunters." Thalia made a grunting noise, her eyes anywhere but on the goddess'. The moon goddess turned to her friend, "And Zoë, the girl has already made her decision. Even if you disagree, it is a matter of choice. Respect that."

"Forgive me, Lady Artemis." the lieutenant said, looking a touch embarrassed for letting a child rile her up.

"Come on, Rhode." Thalia said suddenly, "Let's get out of here."

Zoë sniffed at the daughter of Zeus, "Does thou have corn in thy ears? As my Lady said, tis a matter of choice. The daughter of the sea god can make her own choices."

"This is true." Artemis nodded as Thalia gritted her teeth and turned to Rhode.

"Come on, we don't need this, Rhode." The raven-haired girl said to her cousin. Plus, she didn't want to lose Rhode, her best friend and family, to some sexism campaign.

Rhode looked like a deer in headlights with all the eyes on her, "Um," she stammered for a moment. Getting up, she bowed to Artemis, "Thank you for your offer, but I don't think I'll fit in; and even then," shooting a quick glance to Thalia, her eyes hardened, "I can't leave my family."

Thalia smiled at that and turned to give a haughty smirk to Zoë. In your face you prissy princess!

Zoë frowned at this, finding it to be a waste of potential for the girl. But still, it was a matter of choice…even if the immortal girl found it to be the wrong one.

Artemis sighed, saddened by their decision but still respected it all the same, "Very well. We will be staying here until sunrise. So, I offer my protection this night to your group."

"Thank you." Rhode said quickly as Thalia looked like she wanted to decline as she was in a glaring match with Zoë.

"You're welcome." The goddess answered as Thalia and Rhode left to go back to Annabeth and Luke for the night.

* * *

It had been a few days since meeting the meeting with Artemis.

Thalia was still a bit pissed off by Zoë Nightshade.

With the early afternoon light, the group had been breaking for lunch and rest a bit since they had just been attacked once more a few hours ago.

Rhode used a lighter to start a small fire with the wood she and Annabeth got. Thalia and Luke were currently gutting some rabbits the group had caught.

A whoosh noise reached there ears, "AHH, poachers, help! Nine-one-one! PETA!"

The group just jolted up and looked at each other.

"Rho, I think your trap snagged someone." Thalia said as she was cleaning her hands.

"I figured, but I'm just wondering how." Rhode mumbled as they walked up to where the trap was.

Hanging in the fishing net was a willowy boy with curly brown hair. He had brown eyes, a bucket hat, and despite looking young, he had chin hair. He had on a brown sweater hoodie and blue jeans, and red Converse, but was missing one.

And on the foot that was missing a shoe, wasn't a human foot. There was a hoof!

"Um," the boy said as he spun upside down, "Could you guys let me down?" he asked politely.

"Who are you?" Thalia demanded, her spear just beginning to crackle angrily.

"My name's Grover, I'm a satyr!" the goat boy, Grover, exclaimed quickly, "Please put the spear away, I'm allergic to pointy things…and let me down!"

"How'd he even get into the trap?" Annabeth asked with a wonder.

"I saw an innocent piece of celery laying around and got hungry."

"It was meant for rabbits." Luke told him bluntly.

"…Yeah, those big bullies do love celery." The goat boy nodded, "So, can I get down now, please?"

"Why are you here?" Luke asked.

"I was sent by Chiron, I got to get, um," he hesitated for a moment, looking at Rhode and Thalia but swallowed heavily, "Well, all of you to Camp Half-Blood. You see, it's a safe place for guys like you."

Thalia stared at him for a bit, making him sweat. She then cut him down, which he was thankful for as he put on his fake foot.

Grover sniffed the air, "What's on fire?" he asked.

"We're cooking rabbit, want some?" Annabeth asked innocently.

Grover looked offended, "I'm a vegetarian! All satyrs are." He explained to the little girl.

Annabeth tilted her head at that, but nodded in understanding.

"Let's eat and you can explain what's going on." Thalia said as they went back to their little camp.

Grover nodded as the rabbit cooked, he started to tell them about Camp Half-Blood and all the stuff there.

"There's really a place like that?" Luke asked.

Thalia let out a tired smile, "Damn, just…wow."

Rhode gave Annabeth a half hug, "We're going to have a home, Annabeth!" she cheered happily.

Annabeth nodded her head, returning the hug her with a beaming smile, "We don't have to worry anymore!"

Grover smiled too as he continued to explain until another owl with a letter swooped by, giving it to Rhode.

The entire group tensed as the owl landed on a nearby branch. Grover raised a brow as to why they were so tense.

Thalia noticed the satyr's look and answered with annoyance in her voice, "This is the fiftieth one we got." She said, reaching over to snag the letter, contemplating on ripping it pieces or burning it to ashes.

"That's from one of those magical schools, right?" Grover asked curiously.

Thalia nodded, "So it's real. We figured as much…by the time the tenth one came." She grunted, resting her chin in her palm, waving the letter in her other hand, "But with how persistent they are after Rhode said no to all of them…it's really creepy." She said, stating her displeasure.

Grover said, "We actually have a camper or two who goes to magical school. Mail comes by owls. I know a bit about them."

Luke leaned forward, "What can you tell us?" he asked keenly.

"Which school?"

"Hogwarts." Rhode answered.

Grover smiled brightly, "Oh, the Scotland one. A student told me about the forest there. It's beautiful from what I heard. Also dangerous. Very dangerous. Let's see, I hear it's run by a guy with a D, uh…"

"Dumbledore." Annabeth supplied, having read the letter a few times herself.

"Yeah! That guy. Says he's some kind of genius."

Thalia laughed, "What? Like some old Kung Fu master, but with magic instead?"

Grover nodded, making Thalia turn to Rhode, wiggling her fingers.

"Join us, Rhode. For you must achieve your destiny." She said in a cheesy old man voice, then snorted.

Luke rolled his eyes. Thalia hated this magic school idea. She was always so protective of Rhode. Not that he blamed her with how much they've been bothering them, but he wanted more information first. "So this school is good?" he asked Grover, keeping the conversation on track.

Grover nodded once more, "Yep. I mean, from what I heard, some of the best wizards and witches went there. Like Merlin."

"…Merlin's real?" Rhode asked with a small look of awe.

"So's Le Fay." The satyr added.

"That means King Arthur's real too." Annabeth said with stars in her eyes.

Rhode gained a giddy expression, "This sounds so cool. I mean, I can do actually magic?" Childish excitement filled her. She could learn magic!

"Guys, we don't have time for magic." Thalia argued, "Half-bloods on the run, hello?"

Annabeth pouted at her, "You always say that."

"With good reason, Annie."

"But you're forgetting about Camp Half-Blood." Luke raised his point, getting a displeased look from Thalia, "We don't have to run anymore. We can finally have a life." He said in a tired tone.

Thalia gave him a sympathetic look, understanding him completely. But she was still stubborn on the magic school topic.

"I'd also get to see the world. Well, Scotland at least." Rhode stated.

"Yes, Scotland. A place on a whole other continent." The daughter of Zeus stated while crossing her arms.

"Well, it is a boarding school." Grover attested.

"But with magic!" Rhode added excitedly.

"I think she should go." Luke commented as Thalia gave him a look, "What?" he shrugged it off, "If she doesn't like it, she doesn't go back. And learning magic would be useful, right? Heck, it could save our lives one day."

"Exactly!" Rhode beamed at her friend.

"These guys obviously want Rhode to go," Annabeth said, sounding as serious as an eight year old could be, "So I think we should let her go. That way they stop harassing us. If not, owls will continue bothering her." The tiny blonde concluded. True, she wouldn't be able to pet all the cute owls that came to them, but it was just annoying now.

"Going would be like mean walk into a trap by her stalkers!" Thalia stubbornly said.

Luke counted by saying, "Sometimes springing the trap is the best solution. Besides, Rhode's aware of the danger and can take care of herself."

"She'd be all alone..." Thalia sternly retorted, making Rhode look at her and got pissed at that. It was like Thalia thought she couldn't take care of herself?

"Um," Grover interrupted, getting Thalia's intense eyes on him, "Like I said, we have a camper who goes there and another who's also going as a first year like Rhode. So, she won't really be alone."

Rhode put her foot down, "So it's settled." she said sternly, "Camp Half-Blood will be home base in a way. With other demigods there, I have backup and an older student that can give me a heads up if somethings going on. I'll be fine." the daughter of Poseidon concluded, looking right into Thalia's eyes.

Thalia looked around and saw it was three to one, damn democracy. "Alright." she said begrudgingly, getting Rhode to nod.

Still, the punkette of the sky felt uneasy for some reason.

Writing her reply of Yes, Rhode handed the paper to the owl. It hooted happily and took the letter, flying off. Rhode turned to Grover, "So that student at camp can help me out with supplies, right?"

Grover nodded, "Yeah. He's a good guy, he should help you out."

Rhode gained a smile. Okay, maybe she was getting overly hyped, but this was magic! Every kid at one time or another wished they could do it. And now the daughter of Poseidon could. It was going to be awesome!

"Are you going to get a pointed hat?" Annabeth questioned Rhode.

"Maybe." Rhode told her, it wasn't her really her style though.

"What about a big wart nose?"

"Okay, that's just a story, Bethy. And no more of those questions." The daughter of the sea stated as Annabeth pouted.

She had more questions!

They had lunch at that moment and ate in silence. The half-bloods had contemplating looks on their faces, wondering if they made the right decision. After about ten minutes, everyone had filled themselves and Grover spoke up.

"Anyway," Grover said as he finished eating a tin can from his bag, "We should get going, your scents are all over the place here." And pointed at Thalia and Rhode, "Especially you two." He said gravely.

"Why them?" Luke asked, throwing his empty skewer into the fire.

"They're kids of the Big Three, they have the strongest scents around. Heck, that's why Hades monsters keep finding you from what you told me."

The group looked at one another and Thalia asked with confusion, "Why would Hades be after us?"

Grover's eyes widened, "You, you don't know?!" he said startled, jumping to his fake feet.

"No." Rhode shook her head.

"You two aren't even supposed to be born!" the satyr exclaimed.

"What?" the daughter of Zeus asked in a dangerous tone, eyes narrowed.

Grover held up his hands, "No, that came out wrong, I mean," He sighed with slumped shoulders, "I guess I should explain it all."

So, about sixty years ago, right after World War II, the Big Three agreed they wouldn't sire any more heroes. Their children, like Thalia and Rhode, were just too powerful. They were affecting the course of mortal events too much, causing too much carnage. World War II was a fight between children of the Big Three. The winning side, Zeus and Poseidon, made Hades swear an oath with them: No more affairs with mortal women. They all swore on the River Styx.

The group grew silent at that.

"So," Thalia said in a tight tone, "We aren't even supposed to be born, huh?"

"Yeah." Grover answered in a tiny voice, there was pity in there too.

The daughter of Zeus balled her fists, her mind racing, "But, why would Hades be after us? We did nothing! Our dads broke the oath!"

"Well, he doesn't see it that way." Grover said, "He just sees that his brothers sired two heroes and wants you dead."

"But that's not fair!" Annabeth cried out, clearly upset as Luke didn't look very pleased either.

"But, shouldn't the Styx punish the ones who break?" Rhode asked Grover in a small voice, trying to wrap her head around all this.

"Well, they're gods, immortals, they got off easy, so-"

"It comes to us?!" Thalia said in fury as she stood up, "That's, that's bullshit!" she said. She was being punished because King Asshole couldn't keep it in his pants!

…Was, was that way she lost Jason? Why Rhode lost her mom and step-dad, having to live with her terrible relatives?

They got punished instead?

Static popped off Thalia's body, she wanted to punch something, she was just so angry. The daughter of Zeus stormed off, needing to cool down.

"Um, she shouldn't just-" Grover said, but Luke cut him off.

"Trust me, just let her get it out."

Rhode stood up and went after her friend.

Grover was going to say something again, but Luke just said, "She can calm Thalia down, they tend to do that for each other."

"Oh, okay." He nodded and went back to explaining more about the camp to the two blonds.

* * *

Thalia stormed through some trees until she punched one. She did it so hard she broke the bark and her knuckles started to bleed, but she honestly didn't care.

She and Rhode suffered because of Zeus and Poseidon...

Where the hell is the justice in that?

"Thalia." the raven-haired girl turned to see sad green eyes, "You okay?" Rhode asked.

"…No." the blue-eyed girl said as she leaned against the tree she punched and crossed her arms, chewing her lip, "…It's not fair."

Rhode moved next to her, leaning against the tree, "Since when has life been fair?" she said wearily, sounding far older than a ten year old should.

Thalia wrapped an arm around Rhode's shoulder, pulling her close as they listened to birds chirping and bugs buzzing.

"Sad fact is, you're right." The daughter of the sky said grumpily.

"…It's just us against the world, right?"

Thalia nodded, it always had been.

"But," Rhode said quickly, "We got Luke, Annabeth, and even Grover now. It's not just us anymore."

"…True."

"So, forget them and their oath!" Rhode said, wiggling out of Thalia's hold to stand in front of her, giving the smirk that just screamed troublemaker. It made a sense of pride bubble in Thalia's chest, her friend was just a rebel at times.

Good for her.

Rhode held out her pinkie, like all those years ago, with a big smile on her face.

"Let's make another promise. We make it through this together and live how we want. If the gods don't like it, well tough cookies!"

Thalia narrowed her eyes at Rhode and couldn't help but laugh. Yeah, Rhode really knew how to make someone feel better.

The daughter of Zeus laced her pinkie around the daughter of Poseidon's.

"Yeah, screw 'em."

They shook on it and smiled at one another.

* * *

It had been two weeks since they had met Grover. They had gotten to know him and he just fit so well into the group.

They wished it could have lasted, the fun times that is.

Until it happened.

Hades army had finally caught up to them.

After getting trapped by a Cyclops in his lair in Brooklyn, the Cyclops had tied, gagged and hung Rhode, Thalia, Luke, and Grover to the ceiling. They had been tricked by his voice mimicry. But Annabeth saved them by stabbing the Cyclops in the foot and got Thalia down, who zapped the monster to dust.

But that had stalled them too long and with their scents in the air…

"Ju-Just a little farther!" Grover shouted in a panic as they ran down a dirt road, him in the lead on his speedy goat legs. He was carrying Annabeth since her little legs couldn't keep up with the rest. Luke was next to him with ease as he was the fastest out of all of the demigods. Thalia was right behind them, having a few wounds on her just like all the rest. Rhode was taking the rear, but she wasn't looking so good.

Earlier, she had used nearly all of her energy to make a small earthquake, getting some of the hellhounds and giving the group a little time to run. Rhode had lost her spear too, after she had thrown it at the spine of one of the Furies in surprise, dusting it. The other hellhounds had trampled it, snapping the wooden shaft to splinters. The daughter of the sea looked like she was going to pass out at any second.

Thalia grabbed her hand, pulling the green-eyed girl with her, "We're going to make it. We're going to be fine, Rho." She told her best friend while holding her hand tightly, running as fast as she could.

"I-I…" Rhode panted as she worked through her aching body to keep moving. Grover pointed out the hill in the distance, saying they were close.

Thalia's blue eyes looked into tired green ones, "Come on! W-We promised, screw them. Screw their oath! We're gonna make it!"

They made it up the hill, but Thalia noticed…she noticed if something didn't stop the monsters, get their attention…they wouldn't make it. She looked at Rhode and paused for a moment on that hill. She quickly shed off her jacket, draping it over her friend's shoulders, "I-I love you." She told her in a whisper, getting a confused look from Rhode, "Luke, take Rhode. Now." She ordered, making the boy look at her.

"Thalia, what are you…" Luke's icy blue eyes widened, "No, no!" he told her but she glared at him.

"Shut up and do as I say." She ordered again. Rhode looked at her in shock.

"No!" the child of the sea declared, but Thalia pushed her towards Luke. She tried to go back, but Luke held onto her arm tightly, "No, let me go! Luke, let go!"

"Thalia, please!" Grover pleaded in tears, no, it wasn't supposed to be like this! It wasn't!

Thalia turned around, facing the coming monsters an brought out her weapons, "Go." She whispered, her shoulders tense as they stood on that lonely hill.

Luke turned away, picking up Rhode. She struggled the best she could against his hold, but was too tired to give much of a fight. He ran down that lonely hill, holding Rhode as tightly as he could, blocking out her pleas and cries as he blinked out a few tears. Grover ran too as he held Annabeth, making sure her head was in his chest so she couldn't see, despite her desperate pleas of going back for Thalia.

Thalia's intense electric blue eyes cut to the foes before, tears streaming down her cheeks as her face was etched in stone.

Her right hand clenched tightly around the shaft of her spear so hard that her palm started to bleed. She raised her left arm, Aegis facing her coming foes as it was ready to defend her.

"So, you want me, huh?" she whispered quietly to herself as the monsters pounced with deafening roars.

"Well," Thalia's eyes crackled as black clouds billowed around above, "Come and get ME!" she roared as the sky boomed, taking out one of the Furies and a dozen hellhounds in a lightning strike.

"FOR ZEUS!" Thalia screamed in ferocity, charging at the army from Hades.

Her mind flashed in that instance to her friends and family.

To Grover, that silly awkward goat boy.

Duck, stab, roll, block, and stab again.

To Annabeth, that plucky little blonde girl.

A static blast here, a shield bash there. A fiery whip hit her left shoulder, her shield arm fell.

To Luke, a friend that she cared for…maybe more.

She was tackled to the ground. Crying out, she let loose a static blast and scrambled to her feet, firing off an arcing blast of static.

And finally, Rhode…that little girl from the start of it all. All the times they shared together. All the good and the bad…her best friend that she loved so much…

She roared, blasting off the final Fury's whip arm as her back was slashed deeply.

And Thalia Grace, daughter of Zeus, knew one thing.

Electric blue eyes crackled as she let out a final roar of defiance. Her body arced like a plasma globe. She released a bomb of static from her very body, destroying many monsters around her as she fell to her knees.

She regretted nothing.

"THALIA!"

* * *

The daughter of Poseidon felt numb to the world.

It had only been an hour since the group had made it to Camp Half-Blood.

Once given some nectar, Rhode's wounds healed and she had gotten some energy to move around.

And now she was before the new tree that sat on what some were calling Half-Blood Hill.

The pine tree that was once her best friend, Thalia.

Zeus had taken pity on her, turning her into a tree so Thalia's soul wouldn't end up in the hands of Hades.

Rhode tugged Thalia's leather jacket tighter around herself, having not taken it off all this time. Her throat hurt from all the screaming she had done as she watched Thalia battle for her life, and…fall. The image forever burned in her mind and her nightmares. The roar of victory of the monsters as they raised their heads in triumph still rang true. Emotions churned around the heart of the child of the Poseidon like a maelstrom, not knowing what to do, or what to feel.

The green-eyed girl's hand shakily reached out towards the tree, her palm gripping the tracks in the bark like a lifeline. "Y-You promised," she sobbed, breaking down completely and allowing herself to cry, her wails of anguish echoing atop that lonely hill. Rhode's cries grew softer until she simply wept, her forehead resting against the wood as her shoulders shook like a leaf in the wind and her world felt as if it was spinning.

_Someday soon, you will sacrifice yourself to save your friends._

Hal's words from what felt so long ago played in her mind. They resonated in Rhode's very core…he was right.

_You will stand tall and still, alive but sleeping._

Another sob escaped Rhode's throat. It was her fault. Thalia was gone…and it was all her fault. She wasn't strong enough to help her best friend, her sister, her family. She was a failure. She wasn't even strong enough to keep her promise to her sister, how could she keep her family safe?

She felt small arms wrap themselves around her left arm, turning to see familiar steel grey eyes that so often shone with bright curiosity, her heart ached when she saw they were instead puffy and leaking tears. Pulling her close, Rhode rested her head on Annabeth's gently, whispering words of comfort as she soothed the girl as she bawled. An arm wrapped itself around her shoulders, making Rhode look up to see Luke on her right, smiling brokenly as he did his best to remain strong. For them. Tears filled her eyes as she tugged him closer, hugging his waist tightly as he enveloped her and Annabeth in his arms.

So they mourned. They mourned for their friend, for their sister, and their family. Each broken inside by the cruelty of the world.

It was the summer of the year 2001.

The thirty-first of July.

Rhode Jasmine Evans, daughter of Poseidon, had turned eleven.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again Sieg, you rock as always with these betas.
> 
> So yeah, that ending was so hard to make. I hope I conveyed the emotions well enough. I know that I sniffled a few times making it. So Rhode's heart is crushed at the loss (hence the chapter title) of Thalia, her BFF. Next, we see Rhode's remaining time at camp until the Hogwarts arc finally starts soon.
> 
> 11/21/04: On a more personal note, I have been going through some family troubles. Forgive me for saying my problems here, but I am not the best at expressing my emotions in real life. I'm more the rock of the family when everyone else is troubled despite being the youngest. My writing on the other hand helps me greatly with expressing myself. I don't know if this is some kind of twisted joke due to the ending of this chapter. But I feel so connected to Rhode right now.
> 
> I would like to dedicate this chapter to my Aunt Michelle. She currently has cancer and is at home with her husband and children, spending her final moments with them. There is no chances of her getting through it. Any day now, she will be gone. As I typed this chapter, I think I might have expressed some of my own grief into Rhode, which has helped me with trying to cope with this coming loss.
> 
> Again, the chapter title rears its ugly head.
> 
> I love you Aunt Michelle, you were always the kooky fun loving one. I'll miss you so much and I wish we could have spent more time together. May you find peace, your loving nephew.
> 
> Now please review, no flames, and peace off.


	5. First Summer: Change

**Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson or Harry Potter.**

**The Unrelenting Frozen Seas: The Journey  
**

**First Summer: Change**

**Beta: Siegfried01**

**1/02/15: E4E here guys, just wishing to say happy New Year!**

**Sieg: Yeah! Happy New Year! Let's celebrate 2015 by getting 2015 reviews! …Yeah like that's going to happen. But a guy can hope. Anyway, on with the story.**

* * *

Rhode's steps left soft imprints on sand the color of salt and pepper, just indenting the surface due to her small frame. A trail of shallow imprints, similar to the ones she just left meandered behind her as she ambled across the beach; wandering the stretch of shore. Pausing, she sucked in a deep breath as she surveyed her surroundings. The craggy cliffs and wind-battered rocks long since left behind by her aimless wayfaring. Looking around, the beach was totally abandoned, not a sign of movement or life anywhere save for the incessant line of prints behind her.

The only thing ahead of her was more of the peculiar salt and pepper colored sand; some of the fine grains having found their way in between her toes, causing an almost uncomfortable gritty sensation. All was quiet, save for the mournful howl of the wind as it came in from the sea and the gentle brush of the waves across sand and shells.

A particularly strong gale hurled past, the winds cutting across exposed flesh and whipping her hair around as it passed, drawing her attention to the sea. Scanning the horizon, her eyes picked up on a cloud of grey much darker than the light steel grey overhead. A storm; billowing and proud; despite its great distance the air was thick with energy from the storm as it unleashed vast bouts of crackling lightning, superheating the air around the network of powerful electricity and lighting up the sky and parts of the cloud with brief flashes of white light.

Rhode held no doubt that had the storm been overhead, or even somewhat close, it'd wreak destruction on the beach with its tempestuous winds and roaring lightning. Currently though, at this distance, it resembled the yawning maw of some great creature. Rhode's imagination took her to the Charybdis in the Sea of Monsters and the stories she had heard of it.

Right now though, all was calm. It was rather apt, the saying, 'The calm before the storm,' literally in this case.

The sounds of joyous laughter tore her away from her musing as she turned to face the source of the sounds. Warmth filler her chest as she saw Luke and Annabeth, laughing as they had fun playing, picking up seashells and splashing each other with the warm seawater. Unable to stop herself, she took off to them as small clouds of sand flew about as she ran, smiling widely in relief. She wasn't alone.

 **"Isn't it good to have fun with family?"** A voice asked as she neared them.

**"Family is important, no? Never forget that, child."**

Now, normally she'd agree with that wholeheartedly, but right now she wasn't sure. What the voice was saying was simple enough, but what gave her pause was the voice itself. It was cold, off putting, and yet tantalizingly seductive in its own terrifying way.

She had just reached the two most important people left in her life, their infectious smiles causing hers to return in full force. Opening her mouth, she was just about to say something when the image blurred, the colors mashing together into an indistinguishable blob.

* * *

The first thing she noticed was the pale peach ceiling. Bolting up, her dagger already in hand, Rhode quickly scanned the room, her long hair whipping back and forth before she remembered where she was. Sighing, she wiped the drool from the corner of her mouth before placing the dagger on her pillow. Stretching to work out the kinks in her back, Rhode sighed once more as she relaxed. It seemed life on the streets had left more for her to remember it by than simply memories.

"That was a strange one," she quietly commented to herself. She tried to figure out what that voice was, but came up with nothing. With a shake of her head, the daughter of Poseidon looked out the window to see the Long Island Sound.

It had been a few days since…the incident. Rhode was the currently the only living child of the broken Oath between the Big Three. To say the least, she was the biggest gossip in the camp of demigods, Camp Half-Blood.

She lived in her own cabin now, Cabin Three. Annabeth and Luke moved to their respected parents' Cabins, Six and Eleven.

On the outside, the Poseidon cabin was a low, narrow but long building made out of a rough grey stone dotted with pieces of shells and coral. Rhode thought that it looked like the sea floor, specifically a rock shelf, and the other campers agreed with her. All of the windows were situated facing the sea and the door was crafted out of sturdy wooden planks with a large three made out of brass on the front of it (something each of the cabins had, with different numbers of course).

Despite its rather simple outer walls, (in comparison to the other cabins, Rhode still couldn't quite look at the Aphrodite cabin directly. Too much…pink.) the inside of the Poseidon cabin was rather homely, if a little too big for one girl to be living in.

There were six bunk beds along the wall with the windows, one for each of the beds, with baby blue silk sheets that were currently immaculately made, all except one of course. While on the outside the walls were rough stone slabs, on the inside they shone like the finest of Abalone and were polished to near perfect smoothness. The floor was made out of well-polished ash wood planks, one of Poseidon's sacred trees. All over the cabin the gentle scent of the sea permeated the air, although how it did so escaped Rhode's understanding. There were no scented candles or other forms of producing the smell, so she just chalked it up to it simply being Poseidon's doing and left it at that.

Swinging herself off the bed, Rhode threw on some clothes: The standard orange Camp Half-Blood tee-shirt, her pearl necklace, her sea glass bracelet, a pair of denim shorts that reached her knees and her blue and white NiceKicks.

Turning to the post of her bunk, Rhode gently picked up a worn leather jacket that hung from a peg protruding from the post. Eying it sadly, she sucked in a deep breath, her fingers gripping it tightly, before putting it on and closing it around her. Rhode tried to find some sort of comfort in it, but all she could do was hold back a sob.

The scion of the sea grabbed her green and black striped beanie from its place under where the jacket hung on the peg and attempted to put it in her pocket before she felt something in it. Shuffling through her pocket, she brought it up to eye level, a small frown on her face. It was some form of small scope she noted, turning it over in her fingers. It appeared to be some kind of spyglass made out of dark green plastic. Finding the adjuster, she contemplated trying it before shrugging and slid thumb over the knob.

Immediately the spyglass grew in size into a rod seven feet long that gleamed in the morning light. It was made of immaculately polished celestial bronze with three prongs on one end and a small counter-weight on the other. Turning over in her hands, the frown on her face growing more pronounced, Rhode examined the blades. The center blade was a foot in length while the ones on the side were only eight inches long with hooks on the outer edges adding another four inches to their width, said hooks looking like small axe blades, to Rhode at least. The other side needed no examination. She knew just from looking at it that it was the counterbalance for the trident and most likely could be used a bludgeoning tool.

As she turned it over in her hands, she felt a flash of anger and turned it back into the spyglass by flicking a hidden switch. Glaring at it, her grip on it tightened before the spyglass was sent hurtling towards the other wall, bouncing off the stone with a crack and clattering to the floor.

"I don't want it," she said to nothing, her hands clenched so hard into fists that her knuckles whitened. Covering her eyes with one hand, she leaned heavily against the post. "I don't want some kind of trophy, dad," she said, her tone turning from petulant to pain-filled as her voice trembled turbulently. "I don't! I don't want to be rewarded!" As happy and relieved as she was that she had made it to camp, she'd trade everything away in a second, if only to have Thalia back. The price was too high. If it had been a choice to go to camp and have Thalia die or take their chances on the run, Rhode wouldn't have hesitated.

Feeling a weight in her pocket, Rhode felt her anger flare once more. "And stop making it stalk me!" She exclaimed, tossing it uncaringly onto her bed.

Stuffing her beanie in her now empty pocket, the daughter of Poseidon exited her cabin and made her way through the maze of cabins and benches as other campers stopped what they were doing and began to whisper and gossip, rather annoyingly she noted, about her; almost as if she was some kind of rare endangered species at the Bronx Zoo.

She ignored them as she made her way to Thalia's tree.

It was where Rhode spent the past few days. She couldn't really push herself to join any of the activities. Even if she got to pick her own since she was the head counselor of Cabin Three. She also got her own big lonely table to eat at in the pavilion. Which she honestly didn't do much recently (something that worried her friends), and got to say lights out when she wanted.

As she laid against the bark of the tree, Rhode just tried to clear her head and brood while watching the campers run about, feeling hollow inside.

It was an hour later she hear the clopping of hooves and turned to see Chiron, the famed trainer of heroes. He was the activities director of the camp. He looked like a middle-aged man in a white dress shirt and red tie with thinning brown hair, bushy eyebrows, and sharp but kind brown eyes along with a scruffy beard. But from the waist down he was a pure white stallion, "Hi, Mister Chiron." She greeted quietly.

"Hello, Rhode. And please, just Chiron, my dear," the centaur said with his cultured voice and a smile, getting a mute nod from the girl, "May I sit?" he asked politely and did so at the girl's second nod, "Ah, it feels good to rest my fetlocks." He said while giving a soft smile watching all the campers bustling below. He turned to the daughter of the sea god and said, "We missed you at breakfast." He commented.

He didn't say again, but he didn't have to.

Rhode turned away, "Sorry, just not very hungry."

The trainer let out a sigh, "It's not good for you to skip meals, Rhode you know," he spoke in a kind tone, "If you wish to talk, I am more than willing to lend an ear."

Rhode hugged her legs to her chest, burying her face in her knees, shaking her head against them.

The trainer gave a sad look. He knew more than most what it was like to lose a friend, he had spoken to many a half-blood over the years about the subject of grief. It was not something he enjoyed talking about, but it was needed. He reached over and gave her knee a gentle pat and said, "Then when you are ready, child." He procured two shiny red apples from his satchel and put them beside her, "Just try and eat something, Rhode."

Rhode raised her head, just for her eyes to see the apples. Her stomach gave a deep growl. She slowly reached for one and showed her face as she softly bit into the juicy apple, crunching on it and swallowed, "Sweet." She muttered in surprise.

"Yes, Cabin Four does good work." The archer smiled, "I was talking to Luke. He said you have some experience with horses." There was amusement in his tone.

"Yeah," Rhode said as she took another bite and swallowed while regarding the centaur, "I helped out on a horse training farm once or twice."

Chiron's face broke out a bigger smile, "Well then, would you terribly mind aiding me with something?" he asked.

Rhode's eyes turned to him, looking a tad interested, "What?"

Chiron stood up on his horse legs and gave a humorous wink, "Follow me."

A small frown came to Rhode's face, she didn't want to leave Thalia alone. Her frown deepened when she could literally imagine Thalia scolding her for sitting around for so long. She gave a reluctant sigh, Chiron was a head honcho here at camp, so she felt she didn't really have a choice in the matter. Snagging the second apple and putting it in Thalia's jacket pocket, she decided to humor the trainer, contently eating the first apple.

They walked through the camp and reached the stables where horses and pegasi (the kids of her brother Pegasus) stayed and saw some of the Demeter kids helping out with lessons. Though Rhode noted that Chiron did not look comfortable around the place.

"Right here," the trainer said as they walked to one of the pens and Rhode couldn't help but gain a tiny smile. It was a foal pegasus, a filly to be precise, snoozing. Usually, a pegasus was black, brown, or white (even a mix of the colors), but this one was a unique fiery auburn with pure white phalanxes and a fiery auburn mane that was long and covered her left eye like a fringe.

Rhode remembered the first time she helped a mare give birth to a foal. While it was kind of gross, she found that new life being born to be so amazing.

"She's beautiful." The daughter of Poseidon whispered.

"Indeed, she is very young, perhaps a month or two. A satyr found her nearby." Chiron stated, "Would you terribly mind looking after her? I'm sure it would be of much help since I hear she's a bit…energetic."

Rhode looked at the young winged horse and back to Chiron, "Me?" she asked with a surprised blink, "Why?"

"As you may know, children of Poseidon have a way with equine. She is new here, as are you. I find it to be…interesting timing." The trainer stated.

Rhode studied Chiron's face and looked back at the filly, "What's her name?"

"She doesn't have one yet. Perhaps you may assist with that." He said with a smile.

Rhode thought on it and nodded. She gently opened the pen and knelt down next to the horse, "Hey girl," She cooed softly, "wakey wakey." She brushed her hand over the muzzle of the filly.

A teal colored eye opened to see who was rubbing her snout and the young filly let out a shocked gasp of surprise and stood up fast, she accidently kicked the water bucket near her as it flew into the air. She moved left, banging her head right into the side of the pen and landing on her bum, the water bucket falling right on her head, splashing her mane and body as she wore her new helmet.

Rhode could only blink in surprise along with Chiron. A smile slowly spread across Rhode's face as laughter bubbled up from her chest over the scene. It felt like forever since she genuinely laughed.

 _Great,_ Rhode heard in her head as the filly mumbled in clear embarrassment, _First child of Lord Poseidon in decades and I make a total fool out of myself! Man, I had a whole awesome introduction planned too!_

"Let's get this off," Rhode said as she took off the bucket and if a horse could blush, the young filly probably was profusely doing so under that fiery auburn coat.

_Thank you, um, Milady._

Rhode pursed her lips, she always found that title thing that horses gave her to be weird, "My name's Rhode," she said.

The filly nodded, shaking her wet mane, _Right, Lady Rhode…wasn't that another child of Lord Poseidon?_

"I was named after her." The daughter of Poseidon answered.

_Oh, I gotcha._

"I think I'll leave you two alone now." Chiron smiled as he trotted away.

 _That's right man horse dude, you trot those hooves! Too good for our stable, huh?!_ She neighed.

Rhode raised a brow, "No love for the centaur?"

The filly just huffed. Wow, who knew a young pegasus had such an attitude?

Rhode could feel the amusement on her face. "So, I hear you don't have a name," she said, grabbing a towel and dried off the filly's mane, "You want me to give you one?"

The teal eyes widened, _Oh yeah! What other pegasus can say they were named by a demigod of Lord Poseidon nowadays, ha! Take that you guys!_ The filly nickered to the older horses and pegasi, who said a few snide things back at her, but the filly was too busy looking smug.

At least as smug a pegasus could look.

Rhode rolled her eyes, but soon gained thoughtful look as she eyed the foal. "Hm…how about…Flóga?" she said, looking intently at the pegasus' coat.

 _Flame?_ The filly cocked her head to the left.

"Why not?" Rhode shrugged, "I'm water and your coat looks like fire."

_…I am liking this. Flóga, Flóga, rolls right off the tongue._

"So, nice to meet you, Flóga." Rhode greeted.

The newly named Flóga held out a hoof as if to shake hands. Rhode took and shook it, _Nice to meet you, Lady Rhode._

"Just Rhode."

_I can't just do that! You know, respect and stuff._

"Just Rhode." The daughter of the sea insisted.

_Well, I got to do something. Um, how about Bosslady?_

"Err…"

_Right, Bosslady it is._

Rhode just shook her head, it was hard to change a horse's mind.

A grumbling was heard and Flóga neighed, _Sorry, I'm hungry._ The filly looked sheepishly.

Rhode blinked at that and…oh that clever centaur. She took out the second apple, "Here."

 _Awesome!_ Flóga nickered and happily munched on the apple.

Rhode smiled as she watched the young pegasus eat, Chiron wasn't lying when he said she was energetic.

_So, I heard from some of the older guys about these things, I think they're called bagels, can I get one? Please~!_

"I'll, um, work on that."

_Oh yeah!_

Definitely energetic. And a little bit of a glutton.

* * *

It had been a few days since Rhode started to take care of Flóga. She mainly left her cabin to check on Flóga in the passing days. The more she went to check on the filly, the more her friends would pester her or drag her to eat at the pavilion. It slowly, she started to gradually come to meals on her own accord. Annabeth and Luke were relieved at this. But Rhode still hadn't joined any of the activities, opting to hang around the stables with Flóga. It became her routine and just gave her something to do. The daughter of Poseidon got to know the others in the stable, like Butterscotch, Starburst, Milk Duds, Whiplash, Nightingale, and Big Mac.

Annabeth had joined Rhode today as she was currently brushing Flóga's mane. The daughter of Athena held out her hand, letting Flóga lick sugar cubes out of it, getting the girl to giggle at the feeling.

"She's so pretty, Rhode." Annabeth said, fingers gliding along the red coat.

Flóga stood up straighter at that.

"Easy, Bethy," Rhode said gently, "She may be a filly, but she's got an ego on her."

 _Bosslady!_ The filly whined.

Rhode shot her a look, daring her to deny it.

 _…I can't help I was born superfly._ Flóga whined once more.

The daughter of Poseidon just shook her head.

"I think my next class is starting soon." Annabeth said, glimmering hopefully eyes towards Rhode, "D-Do you want to join us? It's hand-to-hand training with Cabin Five." She said while wrinkling her little nose.

Uncertainty crept along Rhode's face, "I-I don't know, Annabeth." She answered with uneasiness.

"But don't you want to train?" the young blonde asked curiously. Rhode was just always hanging around the stables.

Rhode chewed her lip, "I just haven't been in the mood is all, Bethy." She tried to explain.

"Aw, but I bet you'd kick all kinds of butt!" Annabeth cheered and did a mock kick…only to bang her shin right on the pen door, "Ow!" she yelped, moving to sit on her bottom, rubbing her aching shin.

"You okay?" Rhode asked, kneeling down next to her.

Annabeth just nodded, wincing at the pain a little. She looked up to Rhode, "Well, would you still consider coming…just a little?" she asked with those big grey eyes of hers.

Rhode inwardly debated the request. Unsure if she was up to it, but she also didn't want to disappoint Annabeth. Flóga butted her head lightly against Rhode's shoulder, _Come on, Bosslady, go kick butt!_

 _Really?_ Rhode asked back in her mind.

 _Yeah! Plus, you can hang out here anytime. You're a hero._ My _hero. So I can't have my hero getting out of shape._ Flóga nodded to herself.

Rhode looked surprised, _Your hero?_

_Yep! You're my rider, my boss, Bosslady. No other hero's getting on all this awesome when I get big enough._

Rhode let out a small laugh, getting a confused look from Annabeth. Green eyes turned to grey ones, "Well, I guess I could use a workout."

Annabeth's face lit up and she hugged Rhode around the waist, cheering.

Rhode patted her head, smiling softly.

* * *

The hand-to-hand combat class was being run by the head of Ares Cabin, Fergus Wallace.

He, like all children of Ares, was broad-shouldered and built like a tank. As loathe as Rhode was to admit it, his physique was nothing to sniff at, a five foot eight wall of pure muscle; and he was only fourteen. She shuddered to think what he'd look like if he grew to be taller like some other older campers she had seen. His facial features were average she supposed, although she had heard some of the girls and their opinions and apparently he was rather handsome, if only because of the wicked scar arching from his right cheekbone to his neck. Fergus had dirty tar black hair that he kept in a short crew cut and dark brown eyes that automatically sized anyone up and conveyed his rather obvious urge for a good fight.

While Rhode liked to have a weapon in her hands, she wasn't ignorant of fighting without one. Living the streets, Rhode and Thalia had to learn how to fight without their weapons since celestial bronze didn't work on mortals. Always go for the groin the daughter of Zeus would say. It worked on guys all the time, girls too.

Fergus started off the lesson simply enough. Just some warmups, some basic moves, and then finally came the sparring matches on the mats.

As her wondrous luck would have it, Rhode was picked first along with a newly claimed son of Ares to spar.

She would've liked to say she was doing well, but that would have been a lie.

Rhode staggered back, holding the bloody lip from the punch to the face she had just received.

The crowd was cheering them on as Fergus was refereeing the fight.

The daughter of Poseidon glared at the smug looking son of war as he moved in for another shot. Rhode weaved to and fro from the strikes, going in for her own. Only to have it block and got a jab in the stomach for her troubles.

Rhode held her stomach, wincing from the shot, and backpedaled as the son of Ares continued his assault.

Aggravation filled Rhode as she was forced on the defensive and it just continued to rise every time she went in for an attack, occasionally getting a hit in, only to get a hit back. Sure, she may have sat around for a few days, but was she really this out of shape?

Was she this weak?

That very thought made something snap inside. Anger flooded her veins as her eyes turned dangerous. She sidestepped a punch and grabbed the offending arm. She forced it down as her rising knee connected with the boy's elbow.

Everyone gave a wince to the sickening crunch that was heard.

"Ah, what the hel-!" the son of war cried out, but was cut off when a fist buried itself in his cheek, sending him to the ground. Before the boy could even get up, Rhode was on his, her fist raised in the air and she brought it down viciously.

The boy tried to block with his remaining arm, but Rhode just kept wailing on him.

"Yield, yield!"

The voice was muddled to Rhode's ears, blinded by her rage that she had been losing and refused to.

It was then powerful arms wrapped around her, lifting her into the air. It was like she was ensnared by steel cables as she kicked in the air feebly.

"Kay, I love a good tussle as much as the next lad, lass, but he yielded. Match done." The Scottish accent of Fergus said in her ear, "Now cool your jets, lass." His voice was dangerous as Rhode slowly panted and stopped her resistance. She felt herself set on the ground and turned around to face the older son of war.

His large palm clamped on her left shoulder, giving it a not so friendly squeeze, "See, lass, I got a rule for my lessons. You can kick each other's asses as much as you want, I don't care. But, and this the real kicker, when someone yields, the fight's done."

Rhode gave Fergus a defiant glare, making him squeeze her shoulder harder, "You understand?"

Rhode gave a slow nod as the stern face of Fergus broke out into a wild smile, "See? Not so hard. Normally, I'd compliment that fire in your eyes, but sadly, now's not one of them. You see that mess?" he pointed to his little brother who looked pretty busted up, making Rhode nod, "Well, he's your mess, you and me are taking him to the infirmary then we'll be having a good chat up with Chiron. Got it?"

Rhode averted her eyes, "Yeah." She grunted.

"Good. Meg, take over!" Fergus called out as he and Rhode went to pick up the downed son of war.

They went to the Big House. The Big House was a large, sky-blue house which acted as the main administrative building at Camp Half-Blood. Chiron and the Camp Director lived there and it acted as the infirmary for injured campers.

After dropping the kid off at the infirmary, Rhode ended up before Chiron, who had a displeased look on his face. He wasn't very keen on Rhode's extreme action during a friendly spar and sentenced her to house arrested in her cabin. She wasn't allowed to do any activities either, except come out for meals or to use the bathroom.

* * *

It was Friday and Rhode's house arrest had been lifted after five days. Finally!

She was getting sick of doing pushups and sit-ups in her cabin. The only other thing she could do was draw so she wouldn't go stir crazy being cooped up for so long. Good thing she drank a lot of water, got her to use the bathroom plenty of times.

Mr. D, the Camp Director, announced it was time for Capture the Flag. Mr. D was really Dionysus, the god of wine. From what Rhode heard, he got grounded by Zeus for chasing some off-limits wood nymph like gods tend to do. So he had to work at the camp for a hundred years. He was a little fat man with curly black hair, blood shot purple eyes and wore a leopard print shirt with black shorts. To Rhode, he didn't seem very godly.

He also didn't like demigods a whole lot either, always got a camper's name wrong. His form of cheap petty amusement Rhode figured. She'd be pretty grumpy if she'd been grounded for a hundred years, but he still came off as a jerk. Maybe it had to do with him calling her Rapunzel, just a tiny bit.

After burning some of her food to Poseidon, a juicy slice of brisket, Rhode ate her meal as the teams were announced.

It was Athena versus Ares, a regular thing apparently.

All the cabins were split up. Hermes, Hephaestus, and Poseidon joined up with Athena.

Aphrodite, Demeter, and Apollo cabin joined up with Team Ares.

Leading the Ares group was of course Fergus, grinning and eager for the coming game.

The one leading the Athena Alliance was a guy named Nils Nielsen. He was an African American teen with cocoa brown skin, a lean body type, and was about five foot ten and one of the older kids in camp since he was seventeen. He didn't have the patented blond hair of Athena Cabin though. He had black dreadlocks and the same startling grey eyes as Annabeth. But his were different, they held an edge to them, like he was calculating Quantum Physics and how to win the match all at the same time as he gave a 'cool calm' presence with a small knowing smile.

Chiron hammered his hoof on the marble of the Pavilion.

"Heroes!" he announced. "You know the rules. The creek is the boundary line. The entire forest is fair game. All magic items are allowed. The banner must be prominently displayed, and have no more than two guards. Prisoners may be disarmed, but may not be bound or gagged. No killing or maiming is allowed. I will serve as referee and battlefield medic. Arm yourselves!"

He spread his hands, and the tables were suddenly covered with equipment: helmets, bronze swords, spears, and ox hide shields coated in metal.

Rhode decided to wear a leather cuirass and a leather strap skirt over her shirt and shorts with bronze greaves and studded vambraces along with a helm that had a blue plum. She had her dagger at the ready on her hip and grabbed two spears, a backup in case she broke one. The water child looked at her right wrist, where the shield of Achilles rested. With a deep breath, Rhode stood alongside with the rest of blue team. For some reason, excitement bubbled in her chest, maybe it was because this game would let her let loose some pent up aggravation.

Nils yelled, "Blue team, forward!"

Blue team cheered and shook their swords and followed him down the path to the south woods. The red team yelled taunts at them as they headed off toward the north.

"You're going down, Boy Wonder!" Fergus shouted over the taunts, getting cheers from red team.

"You wish, Warhead!" the son of Athena shouted back as the blue team roared in agreement.

Annabeth ran up to Rhode, a big smile on her face as she held her dagger tightly. She wore a helm that was a bit bigger than her head, but the rest of her gear was like a Greek soldier, but only kids' size, "This is going to be so cool." The young blonde gushed to her older friend, "You missed the last one, but you'll really like it Rhode."

"You got that right, kiddo." Luke said, trotting up to them. A set of lightweight leather studded armor with his sword resting in its sheath on his left hip and a medium-sized shield with his father's symbol, the caduceus, embossed on the middle of it strapped tightly to his left forearm.

"Hey Luke," Rhode waved as the blond boy just smiled at her.

"Looks like we'll be fighting side by side again, Rhode." He winked.

"Yeah, but you and Bethy better watch out," the daughter of the sea smirked, "I'll be getting that flag."

"No, I will!" Annabeth argued childishly.

"No way!" The older girl declared back playfully.

"Girls," Luke said with his hands up diplomatically, "We all know that I'm getting that flag." He grinned impishly at them.

Both girls look at him then back at each other, "Whoop his butt?" Rhode asked with a raised brow.

Annabeth concurred with a solid nod.

"Hey, no team ups." Luke argued quickly.

"Bleh." The girls retorted, sticking their tongues at him and ran ahead.

"Well, that was entertaining." a male voice said and Luke turned to see his slightly younger brother, and the head of Cabin Eleven, Lee Jordan.

Lee looked nothing like Luke, save for the impish features that all children of Hermes shared. He was a dark skinned kid with black dreadlocks and chocolate eyes that glimmered with mischief and stood a little shorter than the blond. On Lee's feet were a pair of red Converse sneakers with small white wings on both sides of them, got them for fifty percent off at the camp store he said. Also, instead of the Converse star, they had a big H on the sides. On his left hip was a short sword and on his right was a pouch filled with throwing knives. They were also charmed to return to the pouch when the number of knives got too low. He said their dad gave them to him as a gift.

Luke had learned that his brother was deadly with those things, could even go toe to toe with Apollo cabin when it came to throwing them.

"Hi Lee." Luke greeted his brother.

"Getting in trouble with your little girlfriends, Luke? For shame." the head of Cabin Eleven mock scolded.

"Ha," Luke mock laughed with a deadpanned, "You're funny."

"I try. Now come on. We're defending the flag." Lee nudged his head.

"What?!"

Lee rolled his eyes, "Best offense is a good D, Luke."

Luke frowned, "I wanted to go for the flag."

"Well, we don't always get what we want." Lee shrugged listlessly.

* * *

The sound of a conch horn indicated the start of the match.

Rhode ran through the creek as the water washed over her, giving her a small boost that water usually did, making her faster as she dodged between trees. Her heart was pounding with excitement, she had missed this feeling.

Her first opponent was a son of Apollo. She ended up knocking hit off his balance and knocking him out with a blow to the face with her shield. As she heard his nose crunch against the cold metal.

After her boost faded, she ended up running into a group of Ares kids, who were ever so friendly. She managed to take down two of them, but the other three ganged up on her. They knocked her to the ground and broke one of her spears while kicking the other away.

"So much for Poseidon's kid."

"Ha! I know, guess kids of the Big Three aren't so tough after all."

"Acting like some big shot," one sneered, "Making our cabin look bad."

"What a joke!"

That one burned her deeply.

"I am not a joke!" Rhode shouted in anger, slamming her fists on the ground, making it shake a bit and knocking them down in surprise. Rhode stood up and looked at her spear intently. It felt as though power sprung from her demand for the weapon to come to her. It felt different though, not unfamiliar, just of a slightly different flavor to the demigod powers she typically yielded. Suddenly, it somehow leapt towards her and she caught it. The green eyed girl swung it right to the side of one of the Ares kid's head while he was still on the ground, knocking him out. She moved fast, slashing one guy's left leg as he was getting up. He gasped in pain as Rhode followed up with a swift punched to the face, making him fall back in a groan.

The last Ares boy charged at her but she went low and swung the end of her weapon at his legs, sweeping him to fall on his face and spun from her swing, knocking him out quickly while he was down.

Rhode panted heavily, trying to get her breath back. A whistle sounded off, drawing her attention, "Wow. Nice one, new girl."

Rhode turned to see an older girl with two other more burly looking boys, remember seeing them at Table Nine, the Hephaestus kids.

The girl was about five foot three with fair but dirty skin with a Band-Aid on her right cheek. Her hair was burnt orange with them in pigtails and bizarrely held in small pipe clamps and resting above her forehead were wraparound yellow tinted googles connect by a backpack buckle in-between the lenses. Her dark green eyes were filled with a gleam something akin to a troublemaker as a necklace of beads and gold nuts hung around her neck along with a choker that had bolts sticking out of it.

She wore a blue sleeveless hoodie zipped up to her chest area, showing her red tee-shirt with a cartoon skull over her chest. Her skirt that matched her hair with a tool belt hung around her waist that had an Anarchy symbol as the buckle. She had black and white stripped stockings and boots as a knife was strapped to her right shin. But what really got Rhode was that her left arm was gleaming celestial bronze, literally, she had a metal arm. Oh, and she was holding a war hammer just taller than herself in the metal arm's grip, resting on her shoulder like a baseball bat.

"Thanks." Rhode said, eyeing the hammer.

"Gaige," the girl, Gaige, introduced herself, "Saw your fight and was about to jump in, but you seem to kick their butts pretty good." She gave Rhode a once over and nodded to herself, "Hey, Nils has us running the flag. Wanna join up?" she asked in a chipper tone.

Rhode was hesitant for a moment before nodding, she didn't want to be ganged up on again if she could help it.

"Cool, let's go." Gaige said, taking the lead as they went further into red team territory.

It was a few moments later that they ran into a group of Demeter kids. One of Gaige's brothers got snagged by vines in surprise as the others separated.

There were only three of them as Rhode took one for herself while Gaige and her other brother took the rest.

The daughter of Poseidon's opponent was a Chinese girl with long black hair and chestnut brown eyes. She looked just around Rhode's own height, if not slightly shorter.

No words were said as the girl held her sword and the daughter of the sea inched to the right slowly. The girl whipped her free hand forward, two more vines shot out from the ground. Rhode dodged them and charged, using her shield to swat away another vine and got in nice and close.

The girl swung her sword, but Rhode blocked it with her shield and countered her spear. The girl backpedaled and vines sprung from the ground, grabbing Rhode's spear and snapped it harshly in half. Rhode moved left to dodge some vines and flipped the broken shaft around and swung it like a club, beaming the side of the daughter of Demeter's right knee. She buckled from the blow and was pushed to the ground with a shield bash, her sword clattering out of her hand. Before the girl could even get up, the splintering tip of the broken shaft was pointed at her throat, Rhode standing over her with daring eyes.

"Wow, you're good." The girl gulped, the bobbing of her throat brushing the splinters ever so lightly.

Rhode kept her pinned as Gaige ordered her one brother (after freeing him) to take the daughter of Demeter to the CTF jail. The other two Demeter kids had been knocked out.

Rhode didn't even know there was a jail. Weird. She moved to grab a celestial bronze sword dropped by one of the boys' from Cabin four, weighing it in her hand.

"Can you use that?" Gaige arched a brow questioningly.

Rhode gave the sword some practice swings, getting a feel of it. Nice grip, almost three feet in length. After doing a practice stab, she twirled it in her hand and rested the flat side on her left shoulder, "I've dabbled." Was all Rhode said on the subject.

"Well, if you say so. Now, onward, for the win!" Gaige declared playfully with a skip in her step as they moved on. Gaige tried to make small talk with Rhode, but she wanted to just get the flag. Gaige did most of the talking for them, she was a bit of a chatterbox. The older girl finally stopped when they made it to the flag, which was guarded by a son of Demeter and daughter of Apollo.

Gaige pulled out what looked like a hockey puck from her tool belt and tossed it like a disk. She told Rhode and her brother to turn around. It landed right between the red team members and exploded into a bright flash, temporarily blinding them.

The daughter of the smith smacked the son of agriculture with her hammer as Rhode moved to take down the other one quickly, but her sword clashed with the daughter of Apollo's who had recovered surprisingly fast. Maybe because she was a child of Apollo, bright lights didn't bother her too much?

Rhode grunted, using her shield to defend herself and swung low quickly, parrying with her opponent. The daughter of Apollo slashed rapidly, Rhode blocking each blow with her shield and lashed out her foot. Her heel collided right into the girl's knee, getting a gasp of pain. Rhode followed up by swinging her sword hard, slapping the weapon out of her opponent's hand. Rhode swung the edge of her shield, hitting the girl across the face, making her wobble and fall to the ground, knocked out. Rhode released a breath, panting from the small fight.

"Okay, girl, you've got moves." Gaige whistled with a grin. She jogged up and took the ten foot long blood red flag that had a boar and spear on it, "Let's get back to the creek," she said getting quick nods.

They did so and saw that red team, with Fergus leading them with a pair of wicked looking celestial bronze gauntlets, was wrestling control for the creek against blue team. The son of war was going at it with Nils, who was wielding a sleek looking sword.

Gaige clicked her tongue, "This is going to be a pain," she said since the red team saw them and was coming right at them.

"I got this," Rhode said, stepping forward and felt that all too familiar tug in her gut. The creek rose and moved to her will. It splashed over the red team in surprise, making them sprawl onto the ground, sputtering and spitting out water. Rhode then separated the creek, making a straightaway of land.

"Blue team, hold up the defenses!" the counselor of Athena cabin declared as they promptly kept red team at bay as he saw what the daughter of the sea was doing, "Guard Gaige!"

"Nice one, newbie!" Gaige grinned and ran across with the flag. Fergus tried to stop her but Nils kept him on his toes. But even then, Gaige had already touched foot on the other side, electing the son of Ares to curse rather colorfully.

The flag turned a rust orange with a fiery hammer on it, "Winner winner baby!" Gaige cheered, waving the flag up high as a girl from red team burst out of the woods with a silver flag with a barn owl on it. She saw Gaige and looked annoyed, putting a hand on her hip and tossing the flag to the side.

Chiron cantered out from the woods and blew the conch horn to sound the end of the game.

Blue team lifted Gaige into the air with cheers and applause. Rhode smiled as the infectious excitement of the victory washed over her. Luke joined Rhode, smirking at the win. Though he looked annoyed at the girl who had their flag, brushing out some dirt in his hair. Annabeth ran up to them, cheering loudly, doing a little dance that made Rhode smile even more along with Luke.

Capture the flag was a lot of fun.

* * *

Rhode was currently sitting at Thalia's tree as she drew in her sketchpad. Trying to let her creative juices flow.

The daughter of Poseidon was shading in the clouds of her landscape sketch. A frown came to her face and started to erase her picture and broke her pencil from the force she exerted. Her frown turned into a scowl and she chucked the pencil behind her in anger. She started to pat her pockets for another one.

"Hey, watch where you throw things." The voice of a boy said behind her, getting Rhode to jump up and spin around in alert, holding her sketchpad to her chest.

He was rather slim looking. He had hair as white as snow, skin almost as pale, and striking icy blue eyes that were twinkling like the sun off ice, as a large smile was on his face, showing snowflake-like teeth. He was in a blue hooded sweater, frost collecting around the ring of the collar and wore tanned shorts while being barefoot.

Oh, and he was hovering in the air with cross-legged as a staff with a G-shaped arch, which looked like a shepherd's crook, laid across his lap. In his thin fingers was her busted pencil, "You know, nymphs don't take kindly to littering. You'll end up with mud and bugs in your bed."

"Who are you?" Rhode asked in surprise, getting the boy to smile wider.

He landed, showing he was taller than her. When his bare feet touched the grass, frost started to come about, "Name's Jack Overland. Son of Khione." He winked at her, "Pleasure, Princess."

Rhode gave him a glare, "Don't. Call. Me. Princess."

Jack raised a brow, "Oh? You're Poseidon's kid, right? He's a king, so why not call you a princess, Princess?"

"Because it's Rhode." She sternly said, "So what do you want, Snowflake?"

Jack grinned, "Well, I heard from Castellan you can do a little icy fun. But then you throw a pencil at my head."

The green eyed girl ignored the pencil comment in favor of giving him this weird look, "Icy fun?"

"Oh yeah," the snow demigod smiled as he held out his hand and what could be considered the perfect snowball was formed in less than a second, "Ever have a snowball fight in summer? Best thing ever, period."

Rhode frowned, "No, can't say I have. Plus, I'm a little busy."

"Without a pencil?" he asked, getting a pouty frown from Rhode. He had a point, she was penciless.

The boy grinned as the snowball turned into powders, swirling into a vortex in his palm, "Come on, don't tell me you don't like snowball fights? I was just about to get a game together."

"In August?" Rhode said with bewilderment.

"Well, I usually do it in July, but this works too."

The daughter of Poseidon gained a contemplating look, "Well…"

"Come on," Jack said, taking her arm and started running down Half-Blood Hill.

"Hey!"

"Oh chill, you'll have a blast!"

"Ugh, fine. Whatever. Just let go of my arm! I can walk by myself."

"If you say so." he just grinned at her.

And it was one of the best snowball fights in summer (her only one really) Rhode ever had.

She got Jack good though for calling her Princess.

Seriously, her? A princess? Yeah right!

* * *

Rhode was currently in arts and crafts with Annabeth.

And Annabeth was facing her biggest conundrum of the activity.

Should she use the blue or the yellow crayon?

"How's it going, guys?" asked the head councilor of Cabin Seven, Atlanta. She was fifteen with short dyed bright red hair with wild bangs and sky blue eyes. She was a little taller than Rhode herself and had two gold earrings in the rim of each ear and wore the usual camp attire with black and white Nikes.

"Great!" Annabeth answered as Rhode just shrugged, shading in her picture.

"So," Atlanta clapped her hands with a bright sunny smile, "Let's see what you guys got." She said and look at the pictures.

Annabeth made a colorful two floor house with stick figures of what the daughter of Apollo figured was Annabeth, Rhode and Luke, all holding hands with the little blonde in the middle as they smiled and a pine tree was near them, "Very nice, Annabeth." Atlanta praised kindly as the young girl smiled at that.

"Rhode?" and the daughter of the sea gave her paper. What Atlanta saw was, well, dark, "Very, nice." the red head said simply.

"Thanks." Rhode said, planting her elbow on the table and rested her cheek in her palm.

The daughter of Apollo smiled and looked up at the sun, "Well, time for the next activity girls. See you here tomorrow?" she asked both and got an enthusiastic nod from the wise child and a shrugging okay from Rhode, "Cool. I've got a collab Tracking Skills class with Cabin Four, see ya." Atlanta said and headed off.

As the two young demigoddesses left the arts and crafts area, Annabeth said to her older friend, "So what are you going to do now? I have Monster Takedown Tactics with my cabin." She asked her older friend since she got to pick all her own activities.

"Honestly? I think I'll just go for a swim. Relax a little." Rhode lightly said.

"You always go swimming." Annabeth muttered.

Rhode felt defensive at that, "Because I feel like it…" the daughter of Poseidon said sharply, "I'll see you around dinner." She said, parting with her friend.

Annabeth's grey eyes just looked at Rhode's back as her shoulders slumped. The little girl wanted to help her friend feel better…but she just didn't know how.

As Rhode was mindless heading to the ocean to just clear her thoughts, she collided into someone, landing on her butt along with the other person as stuff clattered to the ground.

"Dammit, watch where-Grover?" Rhode said as her building anger faded instantly.

"Rhode!" Grover, her satyr buddy, said and scrambled to his goat legs and helped her up quickly, "You okay?! I-I'm sorry, I was carrying stuff and I couldn't see, and-!"

"Grover, deep happy breathes, you're rambling."

The twiggy goat boy turned pink and did so. After a few breathes he said, "Thanks." He said as he sullenly picked up the brooms and horse feed he was carrying.

Rhode blinked and helped him get all the stuff back into his hands, "What are you doing? I, well, I haven't seen you for a while."

Grover turned his head, eyes sadden, "Well, you know, I've, uh, been assigned stable duty…for a year." He mumbled the last words miserably.

Rhode just looked at him strangely, "Shouldn't you be out there looking for Pan?"

Grover just gave her more sad goat eyes and an empty smile, "You really think they'd let a failure look for Pan?"

Rhode's chest tightened, her hands clenched, "Who the bleeding hell called you a failure?!" she demanded sternly.

Grover sighed, eying an ant hill, "Well, the Council of Cloven Elders. I mean, I was supposed to bring you and Thalia here, to be safe. 'Doing it half right doesn't count,' they said."

Rhode could only look at him in disbelief, "But, but! You got three demigods here, you got the child of Poseidon here! Are they mental or do they got peanut butter in their brains?"

"Peanut butter is good."

"Grover!"

"Sorry! You made me hungry." He mumbled.

"Tell me where these council guys are. Now."

"Um," Grover bleated, his tone nervous, "Why?"

"So I can beat some sense into them." Was Rhode's blunt retort.

"…Rhode, you can't just beat up the council!"

"Why not?" Rhode asked with a frown.

"Th-They're the council! Rhode, you just, you just can't!" Grover stammered as Rhode pouted and kicked some dirt up.

"It's not your fault though! They should know that!"

Grover said nothing, avoiding her eyes.

Rhode's green eyes looked at him in shock, "Grover…no! Come on, it, it isn't your fault that-" her voice tightened.

"I-I got to go. Congrats on that CTF match though, I heard you were amazing." Grover complemented with a big smile, showing how proud he was to have such a strong friend. He hefted the supplies he was holding, "See ya around, Rhode." He sulked away, looking like the world's saddest goat.

"…Grover." She mumbled, her anger spiked at the wrongs done to her friend. Ugh, everything was just so stupid! She marched to the ocean in an accelerated rate. Soon, Rhode waded into shore and dove in once the water once it was up to her waist.

A sense of comfort washed over Rhode as the ocean surrounded her. She felt this way every time she entered the ocean. Like it was greeting her with a hug. It was why she tried to always stay near the ocean when she was younger, it was a comfort, like her dad was always holding her.

A comfort that she had needed a lot these days.

She continued to kick her feet as she went deeper and deeper into the Long Island Sound until she reached the sea floor. The daughter of the sea just laid on the shifting sand, staring up through the water with tired eyes.

"Hello, my dear." A voice said.

Rhode shot up and turned, seeing a face she hadn't seen in years that made her tongue-tied.

"Lady Thetis." She finally got out, her green eyes looking upon the Nereid as she rode on, "…And, Skittles?"

 _Hi Lady Rhode!_ The female Hippocampus neighed happily.

Thetis dismounted from Skittle, gliding over to a large rock. A small smile came upon her face as she said, "You've certainly grown over the years, Rhode." She complimented, motioning for the girl to sit as well.

Rhode slowly complied and sat on the rock, "Well, it has been three years."

"Yes," Thetis nodded, looking her up and down, "It indeed has. You've both gained much and lost much."

Rhode turned her head to the side, "Yeah…I have." Skittles swam over and nuzzled against Rhode's cheek, getting a small smile from the girl as she rubbed the hippocampus' scaly mane.

Thetis gently took Rhode's right hand, bring her son's shield to life. Her fingers ghosted along the images idly, "When I had given you this…I had seen a vision." She confessed, "Greatness follows you, young one."

"Greatness…" Rhode said sharply, "I could do without greatness. I don't want it."

Thetis placed her hands in her lap as Rhode dismissed the shield, "Oh? In a way, all demigods seek greatness…or greatness seeks them. It can be called their gift and their curse."

"Fantastic." Rhode said sarcastically as she clenched her right hand and stared at her small fist, "I'd trade every single scrap of greatness for my best friend back." She stated sadly, "I mean, what's the point of being the child of someone so powerful if I'm weak when it matters most?" her voice sounded broken in a way, like shattered glass.

Thetis gave a humorless chuckle as she stared into the ocean, "My son felt the same after he nearly killed himself after losing Patroclus in grief. But that grief, it turned into rage, making him act like a lion, the Beast of Greece to those of Troy and their allies, making them shake in fear." She turned to Rhode, her eyes saddened, "But he is not the only with rage in them after losing a close friend, is he not?"

Rhode blinked and her mouth opened and closed a few times, "…No." She finally said, looking at her teal cuff bracelet.

"And you have reacted the same as he." Thetis stated, her tone holding a note of sorrow, "You've grieved, but that had soon turned into anger, has it not?"

The daughter of Poseidon couldn't say nothing, she was mad, angry at a lot of things.

The fact her life was cursed because of some oath, losing her mother and step-dad to a psycho, being with the Dursleys, hating Hades for hunting her like an animal, losing Thalia, hating Zeus for not even sending a damn bolt of lightning to save Thalia, and angry at herself for being so weak to help her friend.

"Every child of my lord holds an aspect of the sea." The nymph stated, her eyes felt like they were piercing into Rhode's very soul, "Your side of the sea is the calm before the storm, ready to snap at a moment's notice, but also that single peaceful moment of beauty before the storm comes. In the old days, your father was known for his fierce temper. He has mellowed in these current centuries, but it is still there, the sea after all can be very unforgiving. That anger of yours, you've inherited that from him. It is your flaw, your fatal flaw."

"My what?" Rhode blinked in confusion, not understanding the Nereid's words.

"A fatal flaw is a mental weakness all gods, demigods, and mortals have. Anger is yours, and if you do not control it young one," she brushed some of Rhode's hair behind her ear, "…it is not called fatal without clear reason."

Rhode had a frown on her face, uncertain of the sea nymph's words.

Thetis took Rhode's hands into her own, eyes of old and wise staring into eyes of young and uncertainty, and the nymph said two words.

"Let go."

Thetis noticed the skeptical look on Rhode's face. Alas, the youths were ever so unwilling to accept the wisdom of their elders. But Rhode would in the times to come, the seer knew this.

* * *

In preparation to going to that magic school, Hogwarts, that had been sending all those stalker owls to get her to attend, Rhode and friends found themselves in the British magical shopping district Diagon Alley to get her supplies like a steamer trunk, uniforms (bleh), an owl, a wand, and books. Leading them around was Lee, who Rhode was pleased to note would be attending the school alongside her. Su Li, the Demeter girl she fought during that CTF match, was also attending, but hadn't joined them on their trip to Diagon Alley as she had already gotten her supplies earlier with her dad.

First stop was Gringotts, the wizarding bank that was ran by goblins.

Oh, by the way, Rhode was famous in magical Britain. Lee informed her she was famous for slaying a Dark Lord named Voldemort at the tender age of one. He had killed her mother and step-dad for standing against him and tried to kill her too, but somehow failed.

The daughter of the sea honestly didn't care for the fame, but she wore her beanie tightly over her lightning bolt scar since that was her 'symbol' of fame. Stupid lightning bolt.

Annabeth was busy marveling at the architecture of the place, little stars in her eyes. She commented on how tiny the Goblins were, which made Rhode tease that the grey eyed girl was tiny too. That made Annabeth pouty as the older girl chuckled at her look.

After her identity was verified and Rhode got a new key for her vault, Lee had made sure Rhode looked at all her assets since the Potter's were a very old and powerful magical family.

The wealth Rhode had stunned her, she never had that much money before.

"But how much do you have?" Annabeth asked Rhode curiously.

"You remember that teddy bear you wanted?" Rhode asked, still mystified by how rich she was.

Annabeth nodded, it was one of those giant ones, like twice the size of herself.

"I could buy you a thousand of them, put you through Ivy League college, and still have plenty left over."

Annabeth's grey eyes widened to saucers, "…That's a lot of teddy bears."

Rhode had taken a folder of her accounts and such, like stock options, her assets, and other stuff. Now, Rhode was okay with money, but Luke usually looked out for their expenses. So she asked him if she wanted to be her accounts manager. The blond wasn't sure at first since this was something way bigger than he's ever done. But Lee cut in saying that he could get his mum to contact someone qualified to handle Rhode's finances. Rhode wasn't sure about letting someone she didn't know manage her money but she trusted Lee, or at least was starting to, and by extension his mum. Besides, it wasn't like she was stuck with whoever was recommended, she could give the person a try and if she wasn't happy with the results she could just find someone else later.

After the whole goblin bank experience, the group of demigods started to get Rhode's stuff for Hogwarts like her uniforms and an owl. She got a snow owl that Lee helpfully named Hedwig, after a famous German witch. They got the rest of the supplies, so now it was time to get Rhode's wand.

The group entered Ollivanders Wand Shop and met Garrick Ollivander. He greeted them and asked Jordan how his wand (an eleven inch dogwood with a Phoenix feather) was and Lee answered it was still sneaky. He asked for Rhode's wand hand. Rhode just shrugged, saying either and presented her right arm. The wandmaker measured it and the matching of the wand had begun!

Sadly, none of the wands worked for her, always getting an odd effect. Annabeth glared at her for giving her curly moustache as Luke ended up in a princess dress and said pink wasn't his color. Lee was smart enough to step out the shop, no doubt knowing this might happen for a first timer at the place.

After another few tries, the wand maker decided to go into his more rare stock. The wand of straight-grained light brown wood carved with spiral designs and a smooth handle. Rhode picked it up and it felt like she was shaking hands with a long lost friend. She waved it and in an instant, Luke lost his dress and Annabeth had lost her facial hair.

It was a ten and three quarter inch white pine wand with a dragon heartstring core.

That made Rhode frown, that her chosen wand was pine of all things despite the fact that it was her dad's sacred tree.

Ollivander told her some lore behind the material. Pine wands enjoyed being used creatively, and unlike some others, would adapt unprotestingly to new methods and spells but were sensitive to non-verbal spells. Many wand-makers had insist that pine wands are able to detect, and perform best for, owners who are destined for long lives. Ollivander himself claimed he had never personally known the master of a pine wand to die young.

Rhode didn't put much clot in some old wives tale, but decided to humor the man. So after picking up a holster for her wand, she paid the shop owner and left. After getting some ice cream, an absolute must according to Lee, the group headed back to camp.

* * *

Rhode gave a cry as she charged forward with sword in hand.

Luke levelled his sword and parried her swing, deflected a horizontal strike, and parried a stab. He moved in, going in for his own offense, getting Rhode to barely defend herself from his flurry of sword strikes. The daughter of Poseidon moved back, panting as she tightened her grip of her sword.

Luke's lips set into a small frown, Rhode was fighting far more aggressively then she used to. The look in her eyes, there was a whole lot of determination in them as she was putting her all in their spar. He remembered when it was just him, her, and Thalia, when they would train. They made sure they could at least use any type of weapon they had to a decent degree.

Thalia favored her spear. Luke favored a sword. Rhode on the other hand used her dagger, a spear, and could use a sword too. She was pretty decent with it and with practice, she'd be even better. The blond son of Hermes was knocked out of his muses when Rhode charged again, going low, leading Luke to block the strike and counterattack. Rhode blocked it and their swords clashed.

Rhode grunted, trying to push forward, but Luke was bigger, stronger, and was pushing back, forcing Rhode back as she struggled to keep her footing.

With a final push, Luke sent her to the ground. She tried to get up, but Luke had his sword at her chest, "My win, Rhode." He said, breathing out, slightly tired, but no worse for wear.

Rhode on the other hand was panting, blinking the sweat out of her eyes, "Yeah." She said, sounding disappointed.

Luke removed his sword and extended his hand, Rhode accepting it as he pulled her up, "You're getting better." He remarked.

"I guess." Rhode said as she looked at the sword in her hand with a frown, bouncing her wrist and weighing the blade. Maybe she should try to make her own sword in Arts and Crafts? The balance felt off on this one, it was too top heavy.

Annabeth jogged up to them, telling them that it was a cool spar. Rhode gave her a soft smile, planting her free hand on the little girl's head, ruffling it. It earned a whine from the daughter of Athena, but she still giggled and looked up at Rhode with a smile.

Luke sheathed his sword and couldn't help but frown. Annabeth seemed to be the only one to stir a smile out of Rhode nowadays. With a heavy sigh, he looked at that distant hill where a sole tree rested. A pang ripped from his heart and he looked back to his family. He knew why Rhode was trying so hard, why she wanted to get stronger…he felt the same.

Never again.

He would never feel that helpless ever again.

"-uke, Luke!" Annabeth's voice got his attention.

"Yeah?" he asked, getting her to puff up her little cheeks.

"You didn't hear? Me and Rhode are going to spar!" she said with delight.

Luke raised a brow at Rhode, who just shrugged, "I got some steam left in me. Plus," her tone turned a bit teasing as she looked at Annabeth, "It'll be a nice handicap."

Annabeth pouted at her, "Just for that, I won't go easy on you." She declared.

Rhode gave her a smirk, "I'd be insulted if you did, Bethy." She tossed Luke her sword, which he caught, and drew her dagger. Annabeth drew her dagger, holding it tightly with two hands.

Luke walked back to view the spar with interest.

Annabeth went in for an attack, but Rhode only shifted to her left, parrying the attack.

"Don't forget to use your size to your advantage." The daughter of Poseidon said, easily blocking another attack, playing defense, "When I was your age it saved my life plenty of times."

Annabeth charged in for a stab, but Rhode just rolled around the attack, inadvertently making Annabeth stumble and almost trip. The blonde spun around, narrowing her eyes.

The clashed some more, Rhode sticking to defense as Annabeth went swinging at her. To Luke, it was almost a mirror of their sparing match, just Rhode pointing out things to Annabeth.

The daughter of Poseidon deflected another strike as a twinkle went through Rhode's eyes. In a second, she rushed forward, startling Annabeth as she went to defend herself. A second later, the blonde's hands were grasping air as her dagger clattered to the ground nearby.

"Ow!" Annabeth yelped as Rhode bopped her head with the flat of her dagger.

"I win." Rhode winked at her. Annabeth looked to her friend, then turned to her dagger, and then back to her friend.

"How'd you do that?" she asked, needing to know.

Rhode arched a brow, "Disarming you?" Annabeth nodded rapidly, her curly blonde hair bouncing. "Just…something I picked up on the road." She said, sheathing her dagger.

"Can I do that?" the daughter of wisdom asked.

Rhode hummed at the question, looking at her, "I don't know…you'd have to be really good with a dagger. You might not be able to." She said with a slight teasing edge.

Annabeth puffed up, "I can too!" she objected with a stomp of her foot.

"Really?" Rhode asked with mock uncertainty.

"Yeah!"

Rhode moved over and picked up Annabeth's dagger, looking at it. Old man Hal ran through her mind as she gazed upon it, then eyed Annabeth from the corner of her eye. She turned, walking back to her small friend and flipped the dagger upside down, handing it to the girl.

Annabeth grasped it firmly and Rhode said, "Well, how about this? You have to promise me to train really hard while I'm gone and I'll teach it to you for your birthday, okay?"

Annabeth looked at the dagger in her hands and then back to Rhode's eyes, "But I wanna learn now." She pouted, getting Rhode to ruffle her hair.

"You gotta pace yourself, Annabeth."

"…Okay." The daughter of Athena relented.

Rhode just gave her a soft smile, she glanced at Luke, who gave one back, and relished these last few days she had left with her family before leaving for Hogwarts.

* * *

Rhode was currently sitting in front of Chiron at the table on the porch of the Big House. With him in his wheelchair form.

On the table between them was the plastic spyglass scope.

"Thank you for coming, Rhode." He said to the young demigoddess.

"Look, Chiron," Rhode sighed, "I know what this is about…it's just…I don't feel-"

But Chiron cut her off with a raise of his hand, "Rhode, I can understand that. But this is a gift from your father, you should cherish it."

"I do! It's just-"

"The gods do not always give out such personal gifts to their children, my dear. A gift such as this should not be ignored, trust me, I knew this one fellow…well, you can figure it out I'm sure."

Rhode frowned that.

"Do you not need a replacement from the loss of your spear?"

"I-I have my dagger and shield."

"I thought you favored polearms?"

The child of Poseidon ducked her head at that.

Chiron sighed, picking up the disguised weapon, "A weapon gifted by Poseidon," he said, sliding the adjuster and bringing the weapon to life, "And it is excellently crafted. I would say by the Cyclops forges in fact."

Rhode looked at it, "It's got good balance," she admitted, making Chiron smile.

"See?" the trainer said and was careful with his next words, "Would not Thalia want you to use the best equipment you could?"

Rhode stiffened at that, looking at the weapon, "…Yes."

"And this is certainly the most splendid trident I've seen at this camp." The activities director admitted honestly, changing the weapon back to the spyglass, "What I am saying, my dear, is use it. I have no doubt you'd come to appreciate it in the times to come." Chiron stated as he placed it back on the table.

The daughter of the sea just looked at the weapon in disguise and sighed sadly.

"You must think me a brat, Chiron." Rhode said with a sullen look, but the trainer just shook his head.

"You're not a brat, Rhode, you are just grieving. It is a difficult process that we all handle in our own way." He consoled gently and his young charge took the device and brought the weapon to life once more.

"Thank you." The daughter of the sea said kindly, gripping the trident tightly, "A name…such a handsome weapon needs a name."

"Opinion?" the trainer asked in mild amusement, but Rhode just shook her head, smiling down at her trident.

"I'll think about it…" the sea child trailed off.

* * *

It was early in the morning, around six thirty on September first.

Rhode had a pensive look on her face as her hands dug into Thalia's leather jacket pockets. She had grown over the summer and was five foot two now. The daughter of the sea was in a pair of Levis and wore a Red Hot Chili Peppers shirt as her green and black stripped beanie was over her head. Her right hand, with her cuff bracelet ever present, reached up and pulled it off, showing her now short hair. It was kind of choppy and slightly messy, but it fit her in a way. Her wild bangs had streaks of fiery red auburn in them that hid her lightning bolt scar too, giving her that rebel look.

Around her neck was her leather necklace and right next to the pearl was a white clay camp bead with a pine tree on it. Thalia becoming a pine tree had been voted the biggest event of the summer, so they gave the painted bead to all the campers at the end of summer that.

"Hey, Porcupinehead." She said in a sad tone to Thalia, "I…I'm leaving now." She told her best friend, hoping, praying, she could hear her somehow, "I'll be gone for a while, but I'll be back for Christmas." The daughter of the sea added quickly, but paused, trying to think of the right words to say.

With breath, the sea child continued, "Like Hal said, my life isn't going to be easy." She placed her palm softly on the, bark of the strong pine, as rough and hard as Thalia's own attitude. "The gods…they can throw whatever at me, but I'm not going to die, I refuse to." Rhode sternly said, her palm closing into a fist as she held it against the tree, "Because, I'm not just living for myself…I'm living for Luke, for Annabeth…for you." She stated with a hitch of her breath, "Just, watch over our family, okay Thals?"

Rhode moved closer and hugged the tree tightly, "I love you, Thalia, always." She whispered as she pushed back the tears that wanted to spill out, she had to be strong. She let go of the pine and looked at it once more, burning it into her mind.

"Hey! Evans! Time to leave, we aren't waiting for you!"

Rhode scowled, "Can it, Jordan!" she shouted back, "I'm coming!" she turned to leave in a small trot, but paused after few steps and gave Thalia one last look.

"I'll be home soon, Thalia." She said and started to run to the campfire where Lee, Su Li, and Chiron in his wheelchair (to hide his horse body) was. Annabeth and Luke were also waiting so they could see her off, "And I'll be stronger, just you see."

As the kids used the floo connection to King's Cross station via the campfire, Rhode gained a determined look.

Yeah, she was going to be stronger.

She'd never fail her family again.

That was without question.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Special thanks to Sieg as always. XD
> 
> First off, happy New Year everyone, yay 2015! Next, thank you for being so patient with my bereavement leave. It was a difficult time for my family and I, but I will not drone on about the details for you. Your support was wonderful and appreciated greatly. Thank you, most truly. So let's start this New Year off with a bang! Whoo!
> 
> Now, I am back into the swing of things and I think you'll enjoy the coming content as we finally get into the Hogwarts Arc! Know that it will indeed be condensed but only after certain aspects are introduced for the Potter-verse. And oh boy, wait for the summers, do I have plans for them.
> 
> Rhode's Fatal Flaw has been confirmed! Anger. For those of you who thought Personal Loyalty would be it, like Percy, shame on you. Like I would do that. Just because they have the same parent, does not mean they have the same fatal flaw. Rhode gets her daddy's temper since Poseidon has been very well known for his anger in the myths. Something we rarely see in the Percy-verse, frowny face. So I decided to give Rhode a stormy sea persona to Percy's peaceful sea persona. Like the summary says, the ocean has many faces. I've shown small hints to this in the fic so far, try and find them if you can.
> 
> Rhode's wand is of course different. Pine, if you look at the Potter Wiki can give you the full details of it and yes, along with ash, they are sacred to Poseidon. I thought it would be a bit of a twist what with Thalia's current situation along with the wives tale with pine wand owners. The Core, Dragon Heartstring, will of course affect her magic differently than a Phoenix feather, check the wiki for details. For those interested in Su's wand, it's a cherry wood with unicorn hair, seven inches. Just throwing it out there since I stated Lee's wand.
> 
> For those of you who are curious, Rhode's new weapon, her trident (yet to be named) is somewhat based off Aquaman's from the Injustice: Gods Among Us game. You know, the one where Aquaman is badass! But that's just me. Its shaft is smoother though. The mortal item is a hammers quick action mini monocular spy glass spotting scope. Yes, it has a lot of words in it. Nifty little thing though.
> 
> Sieg: Let's make this fun. Submit a name you think would fit Rhode's trident. It may or may not be used but hey, you'll get a chance to say you had a part in the story.
> 
> 1/30/15: And suggestions for names for her trident are now closed, thanks for the support guys and gals!
> 
> Okay, now let's get into the OC demigods introduced in the fic thus far.
> 
> Gaige is from the game Borderlands 2. Yes, I just had to. She rocks! XD Expect a flying, legless torso of pure AWESOMENESS from her! And other crazy stuff that you can imagine Gaige would do. And no, she does not have Pyrokinesis, that's Leo's shtick, just putting it out there. So don't ask me. But she can light things up.
> 
> Atlanta from the Canadian show: Class (not Clash) of the Titans. Only her ancestry now makes far more sense than it did in the show. Honestly, that was just one of my biggest irks with the series.
> 
> Fergus drew inspiration from Fergus Reid from Wolfenstein: The New Order. Well, personality wise, sorta. Fergus is Scottish also means: Man of Strength. I thought it would fit. That's it to be honest. We'll get into him more when the summer rolls around.
> 
> Nils is based off Nils Nielsen from Gundam Build Fighters. Yes, I watched it. It was awesome and I wished it was a real thing.
> 
> Jack Overland is Jack Frost from Rise of the Guardians, love that movie! XD Plus, I think his heritage is interesting. And yes, Overland is his name, look it up on the wiki.
> 
> Now, onto the magical demigods.
> 
> Lee was an interesting choice since first off, he hangs out with the Weasleys, real cool dudes they are. So, why not a son of Hermes hangout with some other pranksters? It just fit nicely to me since Lee is a slick dude.
> 
> Su Li, a Harry Potter character with only a name. So basically she was an already built-in OC. Thank you Rowling. We will get more into Su's character later on in the book, I hope you enjoy her.
> 
> Now, please review, no flames, and peace off!


	6. Year One: To Magic School I Shall Go

**Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson or Harry Potter.**

**The Unrelenting Frozen Seas: The Journey**

**Year One: To Magic School I Shall Go**

**Beta: Siegfried01**

* * *

Stepping out of the brilliant emerald-green flames, the first thing Rhode saw was the scarlet metal of the steam engine perched on the tracks, the metal glinting in the sunlight, almost as if winking at them. The dull roar of hundreds of conversations filled their ears as family after family bustled about: parents chatting with each other, children forgetting their toads, cats or whatever you have, people loading their luggage onto the train and old friends catching up after the break. A sign hanging overhead had: Hogwarts Express, embossed proudly in metal next to a clock reminding Rhode that she had around twenty minutes until the train left. Glancing around, she could just make out a wrought-iron archway in the distance, the words "Platform 9 ¾" shining proudly on it.

Annabeth was in awe of the train as Luke looked on, a touch impressed.

"Now," Chiron said from his wheelchair, "Rhode, Su, I wish you luck in your first year." He smiled fondly at them, like he'd known them for years instead of a single short summer, "If you have any questions, you can ask Lee," he looked to his left, which was empty, "Who is gone…again," the trainer said in a flat tone. He pinched the bridge of his nose, muttering something about leashes, "Well, if you need help, just seek him out. He's more reliable then he makes himself out to be." He sounded as though he was saying it more to himself than to the girls.

"Right Chiron," Rhode replied, Su nodding her agreement from behind her.

He pulled out four gold coins that looked about the size of Girl Scout cookies, giving two to each witch, "Now, if you need anything, use these to I.M. myself or just to say hello or if you wish to call your friends at camp. If you have any questions about how it works, once again, ask Lee." He added to their confused looks, "Finally-"

"Su!" A deep male voice said and Su turned around, letting out a squeal of happiness.

"Father," she declared, dashing towards the tall and handsome looking Chinese man in wizard robes. He had short rich black hair, a small goatee, and solid black eyes. He picked up his daughter, hugging her tightly, "You came?"

"Wǒ de xiǎo bǎo bèi (My little baby), do you really think I'd let you go off to school without a sendoff?" he questioned in a mock hurt tone with his accented English. Su flustered with embarrassment as he put her down, looking at the disguised centaur, "Ah, forgive me, Master Chiron," he bowed his head, "I did not mean to interrupt you."

Chiron waved it off, a smile on his face, "Think nothing of it, Mr. Li." he greeted in return with a bow of his head, and gestured to Rhode, "I was merely saying my final words to them."

"Ah, another student," Mr. Li smiled towards Rhode, "I hope that you and my Su get along." Su's cheeks pinked further at her father's actions.

"Um, sure." Rhode rubbed the back of her head as Luke snickered at her answer, getting a mock glare.

"Now, as I was saying." Chiron started, "I can only ask you to have fun, keep up your training, and work hard in your studies." The trainer said and pulled out some books from his satchel, "These will also help you."

Rhode took her set and read the titles: Math, Science, English-To-Greek-To-Latin Dictionary…wait a minute!

"This is mortal school stuff?" she said in horror as Chiron nodded.

"Just as you are getting a magical education, a mundane one is just as, if not more, important."

Rhode looked ready to argue, she hadn't been in mortal school for years! But Chiron had a strange stern glint in his brown eyes, making her look to the side, "Yeah, okay." She mumbled. Man, she hated math!

"I've marked out the assignments I want you to do over the course of the term at Hogwarts and I expect a good portion done by Christmas break." He explained but soon smiled again, "Now, on to the train you two." He ushered them, "Good luck."

"It was nice meeting you young Miss. Enjoy your trip to Hogwarts." Su's father said in parting as he took out his wand, levitating his daughter's truck and they left together to board the train.

Rhode adjusted her new black nylon backpack after putting the school books in her trunk. She looked at Luke while taking one side of her trunk. He nodded, grabbing the other handle as Annabeth picked up Hedwig's cage. The two had gotten along very well since Rhode purchased the owl, with the daughter of Athena even trying to teach Hedwig to fetch.

"I'll be here when you get back children," Chiron told Luke and Annabeth, who nodded.

Smoke from the engine drifted over the heads of the chattering crowd, while cats of every color wound here and there between their legs. Owls hooted to one another in a disgruntled sort of way over the babble and the scraping of heavy trunks.

The first few carriages were already packed with students, some hanging out of the windows to talk to their families, some fighting over seats. The group made their way down the platform in search of an empty seat. As they did, the trio of demigods passed a round-faced boy who was saying, "Gran, I've lost my toad again."

"Oh, Neville," the old woman he was addressing sighed in response.

The group pressed on through the crowd until they found an empty compartment near the end of the train. Annabeth brought in Hedwig's cage first as Rhode and Luke lifted the trunk into the overhead.

"There," Luke clapped his hands, turning to smile at the older demigoddess, "All set, Rhode."

"Thanks, Skywalker," the daughter of the sea smiled as Annabeth set Hedwig down.

"I'm going to miss you," the little girl said, hugging Rhode around the waist. A part of her did want Rhode to learn magic, but the other part didn't want her to leave after just losing Thalia.

Rhode wrapped her arms tightly around her little friend, "Hey, I'll be back at Christmas, we'll have lots of fun. Plus, I've got Hedwig. I can write to you." She assured the daughter of wisdom.

Annabeth looked up at her with those big beautiful grey eyes, "Can you write every day? And, and you got to tell us everything you're doing too. And the classes, and the teachers, if they really look funny too. And, and-"

"Wow! Slow down there Bethy! I promise I'll keep in touch. I can't promise I'll write every day, that's crazy, but I'll certainly try," Rhode cut her off with a laugh at how Annabeth chattered like a chipmunk when she was excited.

Pleased with the answer, Annabeth nodded, her blonde curls bouncing.

"Don't I get a letter?" Luke asked with a mock downtrodden look, getting a grin from Rhode.

"Only if you're good." she instructed.

"I'll try, but I won't any make promises," the blond boy shrugged. All of a sudden, seemingly overcome by his emotions, Luke gave her a hug, one Rhode returned. He released it and clasped her shoulder, looking at the leather jacket with sad blue eyes. Rhode saw his line of sight and looked saddened too, she had wanted Thalia to see her off…

"Hey," the son of Hermes said in a soft voice, "I know, I know we haven't…" he struggled with his words, neither had talked about it, the loss of Thalia was still too fresh for either of them, "Just remember, Rhode." He squeezed her shoulder supportively, "She's right here with you, watching out for you."

Rhode placed her hand atop his, giving a small sad smile, "I know." Was all she said as they gave each other another hug. Annabeth jumped into the hug, sniffling a few tears as the two hugged her tightly.

"Come on, Annabeth, Chiron's waiting." Luke said, regaining control of himself, taking the small girl's hand. They left the compartment, "Have fun, Rhode, kay?"

"Bye, Rhode, don't forget to write!"

Rhode waved, "I won't. Bye guys." She said and plopped onto the bench, sitting down next to the window. Peering out, she could see a red-haired family on the platform saying their farewells and something about a toilet seat.

Gods, it was so weird to be back in the U.K. Her accent had dwindled over the years in America, but it was still there. For so long it had been practically the only British thing in her life. So hearing British accents all around now, after so long? It was just surreal.

She had to shake off the nagging feeling in her mind, all throughout her childhood a British accent was synonymous with her relatives. Now, of course, they weren't anywhere near her, but Rhode still couldn't shake the feeling of uncertainty.

As the train began to move with a jolt. Rhode saw Annabeth and a little girl with ginger hair chasing after the train until it gathered too much speed, then they both fell back and waved, making the daughter of Poseidon's lips tug upwards.

Rhode watched the station disappear as the train rounded the corner. Houses flashed past the window. Rhode shuffled through her backpack, taking out her sketchpad to pass the time. Before she could get start drawing however the door slid open. It was the ginger haired boy with freckles from the family she saw earlier.

"Anyone sitting there?" He asked, pointing at the seat opposite Rhode. "Everywhere else is full."

Rhode regarded him with a shrug. She doubted that the train was as full as the boy was making it out to be but as an opening line to get entry into an occupied cabin it was as good as any. Not the best, mind you, but still acceptable. Regardless, the daughter of the sea didn't really mind having some company. Taking Rhode's shrug as the acceptance it was, the boy sat down. Rhode studied her new companion for a brief moment before deciding that at least for the moment she had better things to do then strike up a conversation with a stranger, she had months at Hogwarts to do that after all. So, she took out a mechanical pencil and started doodling instead, her leg bouncing from her ADHD.

"Hey, Ron." A pair of twins that looked like older versions of this Ron kid exclaimed as they put their heads into the compartment together, "Listen, we're going down the middle of the train - Lee Jordan's got a giant tarantula down there."

"Right," mumbled Ron.

Huh, so that's why Annabeth was all fidgety around Lee. As a child of Athena, Annabeth was madly arachnophobic. Rhode was going to have a talk with Lee about his new pet later.

"Hey, Ron, who's this?" asked one twin, looking at Rhode.

"Um, I don't know, just sat here was all."

"Sigh, our Ickle Ronniekins, so socially awkward."

"Indeed. Can't even introduce himself? A stain on our family's honor!"

"Let's do it for him," the other twin said, "We're Fred and George Weasley, also known as the amazing Gred and Forge," at this they bowed exaggeratedly, promoting a small smirk from the girl. "And this is Ron, our little brother. You?"

The demigod looked up from her sketchpad after a moment, "Rhode." She said briefly, before promptly returning to her drawing.

Unbeknownst to Rhode, who had returned to her doodling, her rude introduction had caused the twins to exchange a look and with it a silent conversation. With a determined nod from both of them, they turned towards the withdrawn girl in the hopes of drawing her out of her shell and hopefully help their brother get himself a new friend.

"Nice hat," Fred (Or was is Gred...maybe Forge? Or even George), complimented.

"Thanks," She replied even as pushed her beanie down more to cover her scar, just in case.

"Well, nice meeting ya, got to split," George, maybe, said.

"Ron! Find out what she's drawing over there, okay? We're curious, but Lee's tarantula beckons! Toodles!" Fred, maybe, stage whispered in parting as he sauntered off after his twin.

Rhode blinked at the twins' obvious attempt to strike up conversation between their brother and herself, and waited for Ron to pick on it. But after a couple of minute's ticking by and him failing to do so, Rhode just returned to drawing absentmindedly. After another few minutes or so though, Ron finally seemed to build up his courage to get over his social awkwardness and asked, "Whacha drawin'?"

Rhode shrugged, "Just anything that comes to mind." She looked down at the cartoonish Kung-Fu sea otter she had dubbed Daniel. Deciding to show her artwork, she flipped over her sketch pad, "This is Daniel, and he knows Kung-Fu."

"What is he? He looks like my pet rat. A lot cooler, mind you." Ron commented on Rhode's sketch.

"He's a sea otter!" Rhode noted indignantly, at once offended by his implied slight against her drawing skills and because of the small soft spot she had for sea otters. "Seriously! The two animals look nothing alike!"

"Maybe in real life… But look here," Ron rebutted and took out his pet rat, Scabbers. "Look at Scabbers and tell me your drawing doesn't look like him!?"

"Maybe a little…" Rhode reluctantly admitted, a sour look on her face. "Could you put him away? I'm not a big fan of rats." More than once had a rat tried to steal her food…it didn't end well for them. Plus they were just gross in general.

While they had been talking, the train had carried them out of London. Now they were speeding past fields teeming with cows and sheep. They were quiet for a time, watching the fields and lanes flick past as Rhode took out a disposable camera to take some blur shots for her collection. Around half past twelve there was a great clattering outside in the corridor and a smiling, dimpled woman slid back their door and asked if they wanted anything from the trolley.

Ron said he was good with his sandwich his mum gave him. But Rhode, curious about what kind of sweets the Wizarding World had to offer, stood up to look at the selection and proceeded to ask the lady what each was. There were Bettie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, Drooble's Best Blowing Gum, and Chocolate Frogs. Pumpkin Pasties, Cauldron Cakes, Licorice Wands, and a number of other strange things Rhode had never seen in her life.

But there were no Skittles. What kind of backwater people were these guys?

Despite that, her curiosity still got the better of her and she used the wizard money to get a few items to try out. The pumpkin pasty was decent she noted. As she was eating her newly purchased candy, she noticed Ron looking at his sandwich pitifully and decided to do her good deed of the day and gave the poor kid a break.

"What are these?" Rhode asked Ron, holding up a pack of Chocolate Frogs. "They're not really frogs, are they?" Sure, she's eaten some strange stuff before, but frog was not on her To-Eat list.

"Muggle-born huh?" Rhode just shrugged. "They're not real frogs," said Ron. "See what the card is. I'm missing Agrippa."

"What?"

"Chocolate Frogs have cards, inside them, you know, to collect - famous witches and wizards. I've got about five hundred, but I haven't got Agrippa or Ptolemy."

"So basically baseball cards," Rhode surmised and unwrapped her Chocolate Frog and picked up the card. It showed a man's face. He wore half-moon glasses, had a long, crooked nose, and flowing silver hair, beard, and mustache. Underneath the picture was the name bAsul doelerDumb.

Thank you dyslexia.

"Who's the Merlin wannabe?" asked Rhode, tilting the picture back and forth, maybe it had a hologram effect?

"Don't tell me you've never heard of Dumbledore!" Ron gaped. "Can I have a frog? I might get Agrippa – thanks."

 _Huh, so that's Dumbledore…doesn't look very impressive,_ Rhode thought. She turned over the card…finding a jumble of cramped text that made her eyes hurt, "What's it say, the print's whacky." She lied. Ron nodded, taking the card and read it aloud:

_ALBUS DUMBLEDORE_

_CURRENTLY HEADMASTER OF HOGWARTS_

_Considered by many the greatest wizard of modern times, Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of the dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945, for the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon's blood, and his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicolas Flamel. Professor Dumbledore enjoys chamber music and tenpin bowling._

Ron gave it back to her as she turned the card back over and saw, to her astonishment, that Dumbledore's face had disappeared.

"I think mine's broken."

"Well, you can't expect him to hang around all day," said Ron. "He'll be back. No, I've got Morgana again and I've got about six of her... do you want it? You can start collecting. Mum always told me every witch ought to have a Morgana card, at least one." Ron said as his eyes strayed to the pile of a half dozen Chocolate Frogs waiting to be unwrapped.

"Help yourself," Rhode shrugged, not really wanting a collection. "But in, you know, the non-magical world, people just stay put in photos." Seriously, if her pictures suddenly decided to leave, she'd be a bit pissed. She worked hard to get those shots! It was why she like photography, it captured that one perfect moment.

"Do they? What, they don't move at all?" Ron sounded amazed. "Weird!"

Rhode stared as Dumbledore sidled back into the picture on his card and gave her a small smile. Ron was more interested in eating the frogs than looking at the Famous Witches and Wizards cards, but Rhode looked at some of the other cards and noticed a Greek one, Circe…Rhode was pretty sure that she was the minor goddess of magic, not a mortal witch. Obviously these wizards couldn't get their facts straight!

Having had her fill of Chocolate Frogs for the moment, Rhode opened a bag of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans to give them a try. Ron warning her about the booger flavor ones and such as she did so. Rhode managed to get toast, coconut, baked bean, strawberry, curry, grass, coffee, sardine, and even popped a funny gray one Ron wouldn't touch, which turned out to be pepper.

The countryside now flying past the window was becoming wilder. The neat fields had gone. Now there were woods, twisting rivers, and dark green hills. It made Rhode give a tiny smile at seeing the seemingly unspoiled patches of nature. Grover would love it. She hoped he was doing okay, he looked so wrecked when she last saw him.

All the while that Rhode had been on the train, Hedwig was snoozing in her cage, plumage puffing up and down. This changed though when out of nowhere there was a hard knock on the door of their compartment. Startled by the sudden noise, Hedwig woke with a screech even as a round-faced boy Rhode had passed on platform nine and three quarters came in. He looked tearful. He asked if they had seen a toad, but both Rhode and Ron were clueless on its whereabouts, and the demigoddess was more preoccupied with calming down her own pet anyways then worrying about someone else's pet. The poor boy having no luck, cried a little and left.

"Don't know why he's so bothered," said Ron when the door closed and Rhode finally managed to calm her owl down. "If I'd brought a toad I'd lose it as quick as I could. Mind you, I brought Scabbers, so I can't talk." He spoke of the prone rat in his pocket, "He might have died and you wouldn't know the difference," said Ron in disgust. "I tried to turn him yellow yesterday to make him more interesting, but the spell didn't work. I'll show you, look..."

He rummaged around in his trunk and pulled out a very battered-looking wand. It was chipped in places and something white was glinting at the end as he pulled Scabbers from his pocket.

"Unicorn hair's nearly poking out. Anyway," He had just raised his wand when the compartment door slid open again. The toadless boy was back, but this time he had a girl with him. She was already wearing her new Hogwarts robes.

"Has anyone seen a toad? Neville's lost one," she said. She had a bossy sort of voice, lots of bushy brown hair, and rather large front teeth. She looked like a pompous beaver that got plugged into a socket, at least to Rhode.

"We've already told him we haven't seen it," said Ron, but the girl wasn't listening, she was looking at the wand in his hand.

"Oh, are you doing magic? Let's see it, then." She said as sat down uninvited. Ron looked taken aback.

Rhode snorted in mild amusement. The girl was forward, she'd her give that much.

"Er - all right." Ron cleared his throat. "Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow, Turn this stupid, fat rat yellow." He waved his wand, but nothing happened. Scabbers stayed gray and fast asleep. Well, he jolted a little but not much else. Rhode could sympathize with Ron. You really wouldn't know the difference if he was dead or not.

"Are you sure that's a real spell?" The girl commented. "Well, it's not very good, is it? I've tried a few simple spells just for practice and it's all worked for me. Nobody in my family's magic at all, it was ever such a surprise when I got my letter, but I was ever so pleased, of course, I mean, it's the very best school of witchcraft there is, I've heard - I've learned all our course books by heart, of course, I just hope it will be enough - I'm Hermione Granger, by the way, who are you." She said in a very fast, almost incomprehensible babble.

 _Did she breathe at all during that?_ Rhode thought in wonder. The only person she ever seen chatter as rapidly as that was Annabeth. If this girl's eyes weren't brown she'd have thought she was another daughter of Athena.

The Weasley was stunned for a moment before he muttered, "I'm Ron Weasley,"

"Rhode," the demigod said, leaning back in her seat.

"Do either of you know what house you'll be in?" she asked eagerly, continuing the conversation and completely forgetting the poor boy who had lost his toad and who she had left standing awkwardly at the compartment door "I've been asking around, and I hope I'm in Gryffindor, it sounds by far the best; I hear Dumbledore himself was in it, but I suppose Ravenclaw wouldn't be too bad…" She seemed ready to keep at it but just then the sound of someone shifting from the direction of the compartment door caught her attention. "Oh! Neville! Sorry about that! I'll be with you in a minute. Anyway, we'd better go and look for Neville's toad. You two had better change, you know, I expect we'll be there soon." And she left, taking the toadless boy with her.

"Whatever house I'm in, I hope she's not in it," said Ron as he threw his wand back into his trunk. "Stupid spell - George gave it to me, bet he knew it was a dud."

"You got played is what happened." Rhode told him with a smirk as the boy frowned, "What house are your brothers in?" she asked. She never did get the gist about the houses she could end up in.

"Gryffindor," said Ron. Gloom seemed to be settling on him again. "Mom and Dad were in it, too. I don't know what they'll say if I'm not. I don't suppose Ravenclaw would be too bad, but imagine if they put me in Slytherin!"

"Er, so what?"

"Rhode, that's like the evil house! All the bad wizards come from there you know." He said in a whisper, "Even You-Know-Who."

Rhode raised a brow, "That Voldemort creep?"

Ron gasped at her, "You said his name."

"Um, dude, relax. You might break something," she said in response to how he was freaking out, "Besides, he's just some guy. Not some horrifying monster that wants to eat you." She'd fought plenty of those monsters. True, the guy killed her mum and step-dad, but she was more angry at him then afraid of him. Plus he was dead. Why be afraid of a dead man?

"Wow, Rhode, you're brave. I'll give you that." He said nervously as he calmed down, "What's your Quidditch team?" he inquired with interest, forgetting his earlier conclusion that she was muggle-born.

Rhode just shrugged as she had never heard of Quidditch and told him as such. Undeterred, Ron happily explained the sport to her. It was some kind of ballgame on broomsticks, so she wouldn't be playing that any time soon. He was just talking Rhode through the finer points of the game when the compartment door slid open yet again, but it wasn't Neville the toadless boy, or Hermione Granger this time.

Three boys entered, the two bigger boys flanking the smaller one in the middle like bodyguards. The two 'bodyguards' were the size of Ares' kids, but were far fatter and dumber looking. The one in the middle looked like a constipated ferret, with pale blond hair that was…rather flamboyant.

"Is it true?" he said. "They're saying all down the train that Rhode Potter's in this compartment. So it's you, is it?"

"Um, no." Rhode frowned, a sinking feeling in her gut, "Name's Evans."

"Someone said she was wearing a green and black hat." The girly boy said, looking pointedly at Rhode's beanie.

Yeah, Rhode was _so_ going to whup Lee's butt later. No way quiet little Su spilled the beans.

With a groan, she begrudgingly said, "Yeah, so what?" Ron gaped at this admission.

"You're Rhode Potter?!"

"Yeah, but I go by Evans now." she stated firmly. Rhode looked at pale boy, "What do you want?" she said in a rude tone, already not liking the kid.

"This is Crabbe and this is Goyle," said the pale boy. "And my name's Malfoy, Draco Malfoy."

Rhode raised a brow. Did he honestly say a James Bond line? Ron gave a slight cough, which might have been hiding a snigger. Draco Malfoy looked at him.

"Think my name's funny, do you? No need to ask who you are. My father told me all the Weasleys have red hair, freckles, and more children than they can afford."

As if he hadn't just taken time to scathingly insult her new friend, the Malfoy boy turned back to Rhode. "You'll soon find out some wizarding families are much better than others, Potter. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there."

He held out his hand to shake Rhode's. But she glared her sea green eyes at him, slapping it away.

"I do things _my_ way," she answered with bite, "Now get the hell out of here."

Draco Malfoy's cheeks tinged red, narrowing his eyes.

"I'd be careful if I were you, Potter," he said slowly. "Unless you're a bit politer you'll go the same way as your parents. They didn't know what was good for them, either. You hang around with riffraff like the Weasleys, it'll rub off on you."

Ron shot up from his seat, his fists balled.

"Say that again," Ron said, his face as red as his hair.

"Oh, you're going to fight us, are you?" Malfoy sneered.

"You heard him," Rhode said chillingly, slowly standing up until her back was erect, "Say it again." Anger pumped through her veins as her muscles tensed, coiling and ready for action.

Malfoy sniffed, "I said, you may just end up like your par-"

He never got to finish. The next thing Malfoy knew was pain as his back was slammed against the window opposing the compartment. His cries were cut off as Rhode pressed her forearm against his throat. His pale blue eyes looked down and nearly pissed himself at the hurricanes of fury in the green eyes of his attacker.

Crabbe and Goyle were stunned for a moment, before they went to help the blond boy.

Rhode quickly released Malfoy, spinning around and raised her fists to protect her face, like a boxer would. It was the basic form of Pankration. The fighting style her half-brother, Theseus and cousin, Hercules made. A mix of boxing and wrestling. She picked up a move or two from that one lesson she had at camp...before her house arrest. Combined with her street fighting skills...the outcome was a surefire conclusion.

The daughter of Poseidon come out the gate with a basic move -a kick to the stomach- at Goyle. The heel of her foot made the large boy double over. She swiftly went for a left hook, her fist making the boy's flabby cheek ripple as she knocked out a milk tooth, sending him to the ground.

Crabbe charged at her like a clumsy buffalo. Her ADHD helped her react and she went low, tackling his legs. Planting her foot firmly and using all her strength, she pushed up, using Crabbe's momentum to aid her as she flipped him in the air and he landed roughly on his back.

Rhode twisted around, her fist already coming down like a hammer, nailing him in the nose and breaking it rather bloodily. Goyle tried to get up, but a kick to the ribs made him go down again like a house of cards.

Rhode's fury locked onto Malfoy, who was scurrying away. But she didn't let him go. She tackled him down and lifted him up with her, slamming him against the window again. "Not so tough without your boys, huh?" she asked in a menacing tone.

"W-When my father-!" he let out a scream of pain when Rhode's fist buried itself in his gut. Making the boy hack and wheeze.

"Guess what?" the daughter of Poseidon said in a low dangerous tone, "Daddy isn't here."

A hand clasped onto her shoulder. Out of reflex, Rhode dropped Malfoy and punched, only for her fist to be caught by a smiling Lee Jordan, "Rhode! Having a party without me?" he asked with a pout, "Hurtful, just hurtful." His hand squeezed her shoulder a bit harder, "Let's leave your new friend alone, kay?"

"Not my friend." She spat.

"Right," Lee nodded, as he let go of her, "Hey, kid, run along." He tilted his head to the end of the car.

"I-I," Malfoy stammered, "When my father-!"

Rhode made a motion to punch him again, getting the boy to flinch. He fled, leaving his groaning goons behind. People in other compartments looked at Rhode, muttering some stuff she didn't care about.

Rhode turned and punched Lee in the arm.

"Ow! You punch _hard_ for a little girl," the son of Hermes whined, rubbing the area tenderly. But Rhode still glared at him.

"You told someone my name." Rhode glared at him.

Lee winced, "Okay, I might have, by absolute accident mind you, let it slip to Fred…who spread it like Greek fire. Now, what I say to him is supposed to be in confidence. So if anything, I'm the victim here."

"Don't try to silver tongue your way out of this, Jordan." Rhode told him, crossing her arms, "I've known Luke for over half a year, you don't think I'd know when he's tried to wiggle out of trouble?"

Lee sighed for but a moment before brightening up just as quickly, "Well, knowing the staff, they were just going to say Potter anyway. Make a show of it. Now you don't have to worry about people knowing later. I basically did you a favor, and I don't do favors for just anyone you know."

Rhode wanted to refute that, but knew she couldn't since it was most likely to happen. She growled a little, "Whatever," she spun on her heels and went back to her compartment.

"Maybe I should tell her that she's going to be in trouble," Lee thought to himself with a tap to his chin, but waved it off, "Nah, she probably already knows." With the decision made he whistled a jaunty tune and headed to his own compartment.

Rhode entered her compartment, after stepping on Goyle's back, and saw Ron gaping at her.

"I blinked and it was over," he said, but shook his head, "So you're, you know…"

"Yeah." Rhode frowned, "Problem?"

Ron shook his head rapidly, not wanting to get her angry, "No. But wow. How'd you do that?" he asked in awe.

Rhode shrugged, "Picked up a few things growing up. A little here, a little there." She said vaguely.

"Wicked," the ginger whispered. "I was going to jump in," he added quickly, "Just, you finished it too fast."

Rhode actually let out a chuckle of amusement, "Okay, tough guy."

They heard footsteps a second later and Hermione Granger had come in, "What's with all the commotion? And what happened to them?" she gasped while looking at Crabbe and Goyle.

"Collateral damage." Rhode told her with an uncaring shrug.

"You've been fighting?! You'll get in trouble before we even get there!"

Rhode glared at her, the girl's attitude was irking her, "Listen, they started it. I ended it. Simple as that."

Hermione frowned, "Fine, get in trouble. You'd better hurry up and put your robes on, I've just been up to the front to ask the conductor, and he says we're nearly there."

"Thanks, bye." The daughter of Poseidon dismissed with a shooing motion. Hermione huffed, marching off. The demigod turned to Ron, "You've met Malfoy before?" she asked, wanting more info on the boy.

"I've heard of his family," said Ron darkly. "They were some of the first to come back to our side after You-Know-Who disappeared. Said they'd been bewitched. My dad doesn't believe it. He says Malfoy's father didn't need an excuse to go over to the Dark Side."

"Typical," the demigod rolled her eyes, "Listen, you change first. I'll wait out here."

Ron nodded, closing the compartment door.

Rhode leaned against the window, turning her head to peer out of the window. It was getting dark. She could see mountains and forests under a deep purple sky. The train seemed to be slowing down.

She tugged Thalia's jacket around her tightly with calming breathes to cool her anger. That was what Thalia did for her, she could always get Rhode to calm down and it was vice versa for Thalia too. Sadness started to ooze from her heart, but she shook her head. Thalia wouldn't want her moping, she'd want her to be excited. She was going to freaking magical school!

Rhode didn't feel very excited.

Ron exited the compartment with black slacks, black shoes, a white dress shirt with a black tie and a grey jumper over it with a black robe.

Dammit. They just had to have uniforms, didn't they?

Rhode sighed, going into the compartment to face her fate. She was in a pair of black Mary Janes, grey shin high socks, a long grey skirt, a white button up blouse with a black tie, and a grey jumper with a black cloak.

…Holy Poseidon, it burned! The lack of individuality, it burned!

Rhode kicked off the Mary Janes, putting her NiceKicks back on. She loosened her tie, just letting it hang under her collar. She tossed the jumper, untucking her shirt, and rolled up her sleeves. The sea child tied Thalia's jacket around her waist. She looked at the black pointed hat that was assigned for first years, tossing it on the jumper and putting on her beanie and her black cloak.

She took a shuddering breath, "Aah, sweet individuality." Rhode smiled as she exited the compartment, Crabbe and Goyle had crawled away it seemed. Goyle left his tooth behind though.

"Wow," Ron said, "Didn't know we can change the uniforms."

Rhode shrugged, "I don't know either. But I don't care."

Ron just whistled, "Bold."

The child of Poseidon just smirked. She certainly liked to be.

A voice echoed through the train: _"We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately."_

Rhode secured her dagger under Thalia's jacket, pocketed her spyglass, and smiled fondly at her cuff bracelet. She saw Ron looking nervous, but she just advanced to join the crowd thronging the corridor, a confident air in her stride.

The train slowed right down and finally stopped. People pushed their way toward the door and out on to a tiny, dark platform. The cold air barely bothering her as usual. Then a lamp came bobbing over the heads of the students, and Rhode heard a loud voice: "Firs' years! Firs' years over here!"

A giant of a man with a big hairy face beamed over the sea of heads, "C'mon, follow me - any more firs' years? Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me!"

Slipping and stumbling, they followed him down what seemed to be a steep, narrow path. It was so dark on either side of them that Rhode thought there must be thick trees there. Man, she hated being in such tight crowds. Nobody spoke much. Neville, the boy who kept losing his toad, sniffed once or twice.

"Ye' all get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," the giant man called over his shoulder, "jus' round this bend here."

There was a loud, "Oooooh!" As they laid their eyes on the castle.

The narrow path had opened suddenly onto the edge of a great black take. Perched atop a high mountain on the other side, its windows sparkling in the starry sky, was a vast castle with many turrets and towers, the warm dots of lights winking at them from the windows. In Rhode's opinion, it was while majestic and enchanting in its own right, a pale shadow in comparison to camp.

"No more'n four to a boat!" the man called, pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore. Rhode and Ron were followed into their boat by Neville and Hermione (who looked aghast at Rhode's uniform modifications). "Everyone in?" shouted their guide, who had a boat to himself. "Right then - FORWARD!"

And the fleet of little boats moved off all at once, gliding across the lake, which was as smooth as glass. Everyone was silent, staring up at the great castle overhead. It towered over them as they sailed nearer and nearer to the cliff on which it stood. Rhode looked back to see Malfoy, a mischievous grin played across her face. She willed the water to splash him, getting the boy to sputter and look like a wet rat. A major improvement in Rhode's humble opinion.

The daughter of the sea looked into the lake, and saw things swimming around, some looking back at her in curiosity. Suddenly a large tentacle came out the water, scaring all the first years (except Rhode, who tensed) and patted the daughter of the sea on the head gently.

"Cool," Rhode grinned, there was a giant squid in the lake!

"Heads down!" yelled the guide as the first boats reached the cliff; they all bent their heads and the little boats carried them through a curtain of ivy that hid a wide opening in the cliff face. They were carried along a dark tunnel, which seemed to be taking them right underneath the castle, until they reached a kind of underground harbor, where they clambered out onto rocks and pebbles.

"Oy, you there! Is this your toad?" said the man, who was checking the boats as people climbed out of them.

"Trevor!" cried Neville blissfully, holding out his hands. Then they clambered up a passageway in the rock after the man's lamp, coming out at last onto smooth, damp grass right in the shadow of the castle.

They walked up a flight of stone steps and crowded around the huge, oak front door. "Everyone here? You there, still got yer toad?" Receiving an affirmative nod, the guide raised a gigantic fist and knocked three times on the castle door.

The door swung open at once. A tall, black-haired witch in emerald-green robes stood there. She had a very stern face and Rhode's first thought was that this person was going to be a pain. Ugh, authority.

"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," said the tall man.

"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here." She pulled the door wide. The entrance hall was huge. The stone walls were lit with flaming torches and the ceiling was too high to make out, and a magnificent marble staircase facing them led to the upper floors.

Rhode wanted to take some pictures, but she doubted they'd look good with the torch light. She'd have to take them in the morning. Annabeth was so going to be jealous out of her little head after seeing them.

They followed McGonagall across the flagged stone floor. Rhode could hear the drone of hundreds of voices from a doorway to the right -the rest of the school must already be here - but McGonagall showed the first years into a small, empty chamber off the hall. They crowded in, standing rather closer together than they would usually have done, peering about nervously. Rhode frowned, not liking her personal space invaded so much. She had to force her hand away from the handle of her dagger peeking out from under Thalia's jacket.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," said McGonagall. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room."

"The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule-breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours."

Rhode had the strangest feeling her house wasn't going to be winning any cup this year.

"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting."

Her eyes lingered for a moment on some students, before they landed on Rhode. The daughter of Poseidon just raised a challenging eyebrow, saying: Yes, this is what I'm wearing. Deal with it.

For a moment the Professor seemed ready to make a fuss over Rhode's attire but ultimately thought better of it, "I shall return when we are ready for you," McGonagall said at last. "Please wait quietly." With that she left the chamber.

Rhode crossed her arms behind her head, "Wonder how we're sorted." She mused, she glanced around and saw Su. She gave a small wave, one that Su returned and Rhode looked at Ron for his thoughts.

"Some sort of test, I think. Fred said it hurts a lot, but I think he was joking."

Rhode didn't buy that and breathed out, her foot tapping impatiently. She looked around and saw that everyone else looked terrified. No one was talking much except Hermione Granger, who was whispering very fast about all the spells she'd learned and wondering which one she'd need. Rhode tuned her out.

Then something happened that made her turn around with a hand on her hidden dagger- several people behind her screamed. "What the spume?" Rhode said in disbelief. About twenty ghosts had just streamed through the back wall. Pearly-white and slightly transparent, they glided across the room talking to one another and hardly glancing at the first years.

They seemed to be arguing. What looked like a fat little monk was saying: "Forgive and forget, I say, we ought to give him a second chance -"

"My dear Friar, haven't we given Peeves all the chances he deserves? He gives us all a bad name and you know, he's not really even a ghost - I say, what are you all doing here?" A ghost wearing a ruff and tights had suddenly noticed the first years.

Nobody answered.

"New students!" said the Fat Friar, smiling around at them. "About to be Sorted, I suppose?"

A few people nodded mutely.

"Hope to see you in Hufflepuff!" said the Friar. "My old house, you know."

"Great, ghosts." Rhode muttered. She never had to deal with ghosts before. It put her on edge due to them being part of her uncle's domain. He could probably keep tabs on her or something with them. How...comforting. And creepy.

"Move along now," said a sharp voice. "The Sorting Ceremony's about to start." McGonagall had returned. One by one, the ghosts floated away through the opposite wall. "Now, form a line," the stern woman told the first years, "and follow me."

Rhode got into line behind a boy with sandy hair. Ron was behind her, and they walked out of the chamber, back across the hall, and through a pair of great thick double doors made out of ancient oak into the Great Hall.

Rhode had to admit, the place was rather swanky if you were into that whole medieval vibe. It was lit by thousands and thousands of candles that were floating in midair over four long tables, where the rest of the students were sitting. The tables were laid with glittering golden plates and goblets, a child of Hermes' dream dinnerware. At the top of the hall was another long table where the teachers were sitting. McGonagall led the first years up there, so that they came to a halt in a line facing the other students, with the teachers behind them. The hundreds of faces staring at them looked like pale lanterns in the flickering candlelight. Dotted here and there among the students, the ghosts shone misty silver. Glancing up, Rhode saw a velvety black ceiling dotted with artificial stars.

She heard Hermione whisper, "It's bewitched to look like the sky outside. I read about it in 'Hogwarts, A History'."

Rhode quickly looked down again as McGonagall silently placed a four-legged stool in front of the first years. On top of the stool she put an old ratty patched up pointed wizard's hat. The daughter of Poseidon swore she saw something like it at a thrift shop in Kentucky.

The green eyed girl noticed that everyone in the hall was staring at it and decided to focus on it as well. For a few seconds, there was complete silence. Then the hat twitched. A rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth - and the hat began to SING.

Just after the first few words, Rhode blocked it out. Humming Smells like Teen Spirit by Nirvana to protect her musical sanity from this gods awful song. The applause of the entire hall got her attention, signaling it was over. The hat bowed to each of the four tables and then became quite still again.

"So we've just got to try on the hat!" Ron whispered to Rhode. "I'll kill Fred, he was going on about wrestling a troll."

Rhode rolled her eyes, "You fell for that color spell." She reminded and Ron's ears pinked.

McGonagall now stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment. "When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said. "Abbott, Hannah!"

The hat called out Hufflepuff for the girl as McGonagall called out other names in alphabetical order. A Ravenclaw here, a Gryffindor there, then some of the more snobbish looking kids went to Slytherin. Sometimes the hat said the house instantly, other times it waited a minute or two.

"Granger, Hermione!"

Hermione almost ran to the stool and jammed the hat eagerly on her head.

"GRYFFINDOR!" shouted the hat. Ron groaned.

When Neville Longbottom, the boy who kept losing his toad, was called, he fell over on his way to the stool. The hat took a long time to decide with Neville. When it finally shouted, "GRYFFINDOR," Neville ran off still wearing it, and had to jog back amid gales of laughter to give it to "MacDougal, Morag."

Malfoy, still dripping wet, swaggered forward when his name was called and the hat had barely touched his head when it screamed, "SLYTHERIN!" Malfoy went to join his friends Crabbe and Goyle, looking pleased with himself. Loser.

There weren't many people left now. Su was called up and after a moment she went right to Ravenclaw, looking rather happy. Next came "Moon" "Nott" "Parkinson" then a pair of twin girls, "Patil" and "Patil" then "Perks, Sally-Anne" and then, at last - "Potter, Rhode!"

Rhode scowled, knowing what was coming. Whispers suddenly broke out like little hissing fires all over the hall. It was like at camp with her being a child against the Oath of the Big Three. Only a few hundred more voices and with British accents.

"Potter, did she say?"

" _The_ Rhode Potter?"

Ignoring the rest of the whispers from the yammering masses, Rhode walked forward to the stool. McGonagall still didn't look pleased at her attire and Rhode still didn't care. Before she sat down, she told the woman, "I go by Evans now." The daughter of the sea took off her beanie, showing her dyed streaks of red and even more whispers broke out about as her unwanted audience caught sight of her lightning bolt scar.

One second she saw the hall full of people craning to get a good look at her like some rare animal. Next second, the hat fell to cover her eyes and she was looking at its black insides. Waiting rather impatiently by bouncing her leg, her ADHD acted up.

"Hmm," said a small voice in her ear. "Difficult. Oh, another demigod to sort? Poseidon? How rare! Let's see, you have quite a bit of talent... So where shall I put you?"

Rhode gripped the edges of the stool and thought, _Are you honestly reading my mind?_

"Yes, I am."

 _Pick a house. Now._ Rhode thought. She did not want this thing in her head, reading her deepest thoughts. She felt violated and was ready to tear it off her.

"Oh, really? Well, you're loyal, but only to a select few. You're more likely to cause havoc in Slytherin with your attitude. While your mind is not bad, you're not overly academic." the small voice listed.

 _Just put me in a damn house._ Rhode growled, the stalling was annoying her. She resisted the call of her dagger pressing against her back. Well, mortals weren't 'important enough' for celestial bronze to cut...she wondered how it'd work on magical hats...

"Alright, alright. No need to think of pointy things. I have enough holes as is! With the heart of a lion in you, it has to be GRYFFINDOR!"

Rhode heard the hat shout the last word to the whole hall. She took off the hat and walked quickly toward the Gryffindor table, putting her beanie back on. She had gotten the loudest cheer out of all those called. This older ginger with a badge got up and went to shake her hand but she kept her hands in her pockets, making him look rather foolish. The Weasley twins were yelling, "We got Potter! We got Potter!"

The daughter of Poseidon was going to be correcting people all year, wasn't she?

Rhode sat down opposite the ghost in the ruff she'd seen earlier, eying him wearily all the while. She could see the High Table properly now. And there, in the center of the High Table, in a large gold throne (ego much?), sat Albus Dumbledore.

And now there were only three people left to be sorted. "Thomas, Dean," a dark skinned boy even taller than Ron, joined Rhode at the Gryffindor table. "Turpin, Lisa," became a Ravenclaw and then it was Ron's turn. He was pale green by now. Rhode smirked when a second later the hat had shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!"

Rhode gave a light applause as others clapped louder. Ron walked over and collapsed into the chair next to her.

"Well done, Ron, excellent," said the Prefect, Percy Weasley, pompously across Rhode as "Zabini, Blaise," was made a Slytherin. McGonagall rolled up her scroll and took the Sorting Hat away.

Rhode looked down at her empty gold plate. She idly wondered how much she could get for it and that she was a hungry. She should've snuck some of those snacks in her pockets.

Albus Dumbledore had gotten to his feet. He was beaming at the students, his arms opened wide, as if nothing could have pleased him more than to see them all there. It was a little creepy to see an old man that excited over children if Rhode was honest.

"Welcome," he said. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you!" He sat back down. Everybody clapped and cheered.

Rhode instead groaned. Great, crazy old people were annoying to deal with. It was like that tin-foil hat wearing hobo from Texas all over again. She idly tapped a fork on her plate until it hit something.

Rhode glanced down and was mildly surprised to see the food appear out of nowhere. On the table was roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops and lamb chops, sausages, bacon and steak, boiled potatoes, roast potatoes, fries, Yorkshire pudding, peas, carrots, gravy, ketchup, and, for some strange reason, peppermint humbugs. And Rhode thought kids in the States were notorious for eating fatty food. Maybe there was a gym class here? Magical Water Polo sounded fun.

The food was okay, though a bit too fatty for Rhode's liking. She missed her burgers.

"That does look good," said the ghost in the ruff sadly, watching Rhode cut up her steak. She gave him a weary look. "Ah, manners, how unbecoming of me." He dipped his head, "Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington at your service. Resident ghost of Gryffindor Tower."

"I know who you are!" said Ron suddenly. "My brothers told me about you - you're Nearly Headless Nick!"

"I would prefer you to call me Sir Nicholas de Mimsy -" the ghost began stiffly, but sandy-haired Seamus Finnigan interrupted.

"Nearly Headless? How can you be nearly headless?"

Sir Nicholas looked extremely miffed, as if their little chat wasn't going at all the way he wanted.

"Like this," he said irritably. He seized his left ear and pulled. His whole head swung off his neck and fell onto his shoulder as if it was on a hinge. Someone had obviously tried to behead him, but not done it properly. Looking pleased at the stunned looks on their faces, Nearly Headless Nick flipped his head back onto his neck, coughed, and said, "So - new Gryffindors! I hope you're going to help us win the house championship this year? Gryffindors have never gone so long without winning. Slytherins have got the cup six years in a row! The Bloody Baron's becoming almost unbearable - he's the Slytherin ghost."

Rhode looked over at the Slytherin table and saw a nasty looking ghost sitting there, with blank staring eyes, a gaunt face, and robes stained with silver blood. He was right next to Malfoy who, Rhode was happy to see, didn't look too pleased with the seating arrangements.

"How did he get covered in blood?" asked Seamus with great interest.

"I've never asked," said Nearly Headless Nick delicately.

When everyone had eaten as much as they could, the remains of the food faded from the plates, leaving them sparkling clean as before. A moment later the desserts appeared. Blocks of ice cream in every flavor you could think of, apple pies, treacle tarts, chocolate éclairs and jam doughnuts, trifle, strawberries, Jell-O, rice pudding –gods she was going to get fat! They just spoiled you rotten here.

Living on the streets really gives you a perspective on things…especially ritzy desserts. At least she thought they were ritzy. Rhode's fingers danced over to a chocolate éclair, curious of the taste. It was good.

The guys around her talked about their families. Rhode mostly tuned them out since she couldn't really comment on hers, except for the kid who kept losing his toad, Neville. Seriously, the kid had a twisted family. They kept getting him to do dangerous things to try and trigger his magic. Didn't happen until he was eight and his uncle hung him outside and accidently let him go, and he ended up bouncing his way to safety.

Okay, so she shouldn't find it so twisted. Her camp had a climbing wall with lava and falling rocks. But for a mortal, wizard, whatever, that was just poor child raising in Rhode's opinion. On her other side, Percy Weasley and Hermione were talking about lessons.

Rhode was balancing a spoon on her nose in boredom as her eyes darted to the High Table once again. That Hagrid guy was drinking rather heavily. McGonagall was talking to Dumbledore. A guy in a tacky turban was talking to a teacher with greasy black hair, a hooked nose, and sallow skin.

It happened very suddenly. The hook-nosed teacher looked past the turban dude and straight into Rhode's eyes - a sharp, hot pain shot across the scar on her forehead, her balancing spoon clattering to the table as she hissed, clapping a hand to her head.

"What is it?" asked Percy.

"Nothing." Rhode guardedly said, wondering where the hell that came from. The pain had gone as quickly as it had come. Rhode got a weird feeling at the teacher's look - a feeling that he didn't like her at all. Which she honestly shrugged at, lots of people didn't like her. Just ask any monster or the gods against her birth. The guy was really at the bottom of that long list.

"Who's the vampire?" she asked the Prefect.

"That's Professor Snape. He teaches Potions, but he doesn't want to - everyone knows he's after Quirrell's job, the one in the turban. Knows an awful lot about the Dark Arts, Snape."

Rhode hummed as she went back to doing something productive, like her spoon balancing. Sea World, here she comes.

Finally, the desserts too disappeared, and Professor Dumbledore got to his feet again. The hall fell silent.

"Ahem - just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you. First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well."

Dumbledore's twinkling eyes flashed in the direction of the Weasley twins, "I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors. Next, Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch."

"And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death."

Rhode blinked her vivid green eyes…since when do schools have a death hallway? Her What-The-Hell-O-Meter just went into the red.

Ron asked his brother what that was about.

"I don't know," said Percy, frowning at Dumbledore. "It's odd, because he usually gives us a reason why we're not allowed to go somewhere - the forest's full of dangerous beasts, everyone knows that. I do think he might have told us prefects, at least."

"Because that's all that matters." Rhode said under her breath. She craned her head and heard the people were just whispering about the hallway. No one was outright freaking out about dying.

The hell was wrong with these people?

"And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" cried Dumbledore. Rhode noticed that the other teachers' smiles had become rather forced. Dumbledore gave his wand a little flick, as if he was trying to get a fly off the end, and a long golden ribbon flew out of it, which rose high above the tables and twisted itself, snakelike, into words.

No, not more terrible singing!

"Everyone pick their favorite tune," said Dumbledore, "and off we go!" And the school bellowed like a herd of dying walrus'.

Rhode just slammed her head against the table, covering her delicate punk rock ears. She prayed they wouldn't bleed out as she hummed Rock you like Hurricane. It was her favorite song, even though she didn't understand the lyrics. She just liked it because it had hurricane in it. Plus, the Scorpions were awesome!

"Ah, music," Dumbledore said, wiping his eyes as the madness finally ended, the Weasley twins still going with their funeral march. "A magic beyond all we do here! And now, bedtime. Off you trot!"

Rhode was just about to do that, she wanted to know her sleeping quarters and plot out possible escape routes…she was still in survival mode, don't you dare judge her.

But suddenly, the stern looking McGonagall was on her…so she acted on reflex.

"I didn't do it." That's what you do. Deny, deny, deny.

McGonagall raised a delicate brow, "Headmaster Dumbledore wishes to see you, Ms. Pot-"

"Evans."

"Ms. Evans." The woman said, displeased she was interrupted. Meh, it was what Rhode did.

"I thought it was off we trot? You know, sleep." Rhode explained slowly, "I like sleep." She nodded.

"It is rather urgent. Follow me," the old woman crisply, turning on her heels and walked. The daughter of Poseidon rolled her eyes and mouthed 'Follow me' behind the woman's back with a funny face.

"In trouble on not even the first day." Rhode shook her head, Thalia would be proud.

* * *

Rhode was bored already after hiking through the castle and coming before a rather large gargoyle.

As McGonagall told the gargoyle something, Licorice Wands. The statue hoped left. So gargoyles played hopscotch? Meh, she wouldn't judge. McGonagall gestured her to go up.

This felt like that incident with the truancy officer in North Dakota all over again.

Rhode ascended up the spiral stairs and entered. It was a large and beautiful circular room, full of funny little noises. A number of curious silver instruments stood on spindle-legged tables, whirring and emitting little puffs of smoke. The walls were covered with portraits of old people, all of whom were snoozing gently in their frames, which was weird. There was also an enormous, claw-footed desk, and, sitting on a shelf behind it, was the shabby, tainted wizard's hat that read her mind a while ago. There were also lots of books, like Athena cabin number of books.

Oh, and there was a red bird roosting on a bird stand, snoozing away. It was sparking some fire too…the old dude had a phoenix. Who owns a phoenix!? Still, that gave the old guy some cred. Rhode would admit that.

And there behind the desk with twinkling eyes and a grandfather-ish smile was Dumbledore, clad in...purple robes, of all things.

Curiouser and curiouser.

Rhode felt uncomfortable to be alone in a room with him. Maybe it was out of memory of that one old guy who had offered her candy in his black tinted window van. Thalia was in the bathroom at the time so Rhode just ran towards the toilets because it frightened her. She told Thalia, who was washing her hands, about it and she was furious. The daughter of Zeus wanted to fry the guy, but he was already gone.

And that's why Rhode didn't trust old people, Dumbledore had that same disarming smile.

"Greetings, Rhode. Please, have a seat." The headmaster gestured.

Rhode did so with weary eyes, bristling at addressing her on a first name basis. "It's Evans, sir," the daughter of Poseidon said tersely, "You hardly know me."

A flicker of sadness entered those old eyes, "Ah, forgive me, Ms. Evans." He corrected himself, noticing her tensed posture. He laced his fingers on his desk, "I am sure you understand why you are here."

"If it's about the uniform, I'm not changing it. You're lucky I'm wearing this skirt," Rhode blanched and couldn't help but play Smart Alec. She knew why she was in trouble, but Rhode didn't care. Malfoy and his ilk deserved it.

"Yes." Dumbledore gave a chuckle, "Most unique of you, Ms. Evans."

"I strive to be an individual."

"Certainly nothing wrong with that." The old wizard nodded in agreement, "But alas, wardrobe is not the issue of this visit. Your… _altercation_ with Professor Snape's students on the train is."

"Technically, they weren't his students at the time." Rhode pointed out, "Plus, they started it."

Dumbledore raised a silver brow, "Oh, from what he reported, Mr. Malfoy and companions were merely trying to befriend you and you assaulted them."

Rhode snorted and leaned back into the armchair, crossing her arms, "I see how it is. Rich kids get all the perks in a school like this huh?" she said in a snide tone.

"No, but I would like to hear your side of the tale."

Rhode gave him a suspicious look before she told him _exactly_ what happened. Even the blow by blow details. Dumbledore was stroking his long beard, listening intently. After Rhode finished, the headmaster gained a contemplated look.

"I see." He said, "While indeed Mr. Malfoy's words were uncalled for. Your reaction was as well." He stated.

Rhode glared at him, "Well too bad. He wants to run his mouth, he should learn to back it up. Not hide behind his meat shields." She told him. Where'd this guy get off telling her how to act?

Dumbledore frowned, "We do not resort to violence in this school."

Rhode rolled her eyes, "Yeah, but bullying is allowed, huh? They mess with me, I mess with them right back. Listen, give me a detention or whatever." She brushed off his disapproving look, "I'd like to go to bed now."

Dumbledore was silent for a moment, "There is one more thing I would like to discuss."

Annoyance filled Rhode's voice, "Yeah?"

"Where have you been for these past three years?"

Rhode blinked, looking right into the old man's eyes, "What's that got to do with anything?"

Dumbledore shifted in his armchair, his phoenix trilling sadly, "When you disappeared from the Dursleys-"

"I ran away." Rhode corrected him swiftly, eyes narrowing. She didn't want to hear about those jerks.

The headmaster let out a sigh, "You see, my girl, the home of the Dursleys had a protective charm on it."

" _Had_. Past tense." Rhode raised a brow, "So what?"

"It was meant to protect you."

Rhode snorted, "Well, it did a fine job." She said mockingly.

Dumbledore's elderly frown deepened, "It was meant to protect you from Voldemort's followers, ones who would no doubt come after you for what happened to their master. You permanently leaving…destroyed it."

"I don't need it anymore anyway. I can protect myself." Rhode glared. She wasn't helpless, she refused to be.

The old man's lips pursed, "It was a protection made by your mother's sacrifice."

The daughter of Poseidon stiffened, "What?" Confusion in her voice.

"Your mother died to save you. If there is one thing Voldemort cannot understand, it is love. He didn't realize that love as powerful as your mother's for you leaves its own mark. Not a scar, no visible sign... to have been loved so deeply, even though the person who loved us is gone, will give us some protection forever."

Rhode tried to find her voice, "B-But why them?!" she demanded, why the Dursleys!

"Because, Petunia shares blood with you. She may have taken you grudgingly, furiously, unwillingly, bitterly, yet still she took you, and in doing so, she sealed the charm I placed upon you. Your mother's sacrifice made the bond of blood the strongest shield I could give you." Dumbledore paused as Rhode processed his words. "If you could still call home the place where your mother's blood dwells, there you could not be touched or harmed by Voldemort. He shed her blood, but it lives on in you and her sister. Her blood became your refuge. Your aunt knew this. I explained what I had done in the letter I left, with you, on her doorstep. She knew that allowing you a place in her house may well have kept you alive for those past seven years before you fled."

"…A doorstep, you left me on a doorstep with only a letter?" Rhode looked at him as if he was an idiot. "The hell?" she asked him, and before he could retort, she continued, "Seriously, how stupid are you?"

"Young lady, I-"

Rhode cut him off once more, "And what about protecting me from them?" she asked sharply.

Dumbledore paused, "Excuse me?"

Rhode glared at him intensely, "What about protecting me from them." She stood up from the armchair, hands slamming on the desk, her nails digging into it as anger veiled over her body, "Do you think they were kind?" she shouted the old man, "They treated me like I was a freak!"

Dumbledore leaned forward in his chair, "Still, they-"

"So what? They took me into their home? I should be grateful to them?" she hissed, "Giving me a smack here or there. Treating me like dirt. Making me do all their chores like a slave. Stuffing me in a cupboard to live in. Where was my protection from that?" she demanded.

"I can only apologize and beg for your pardon for an old man's mistake." Dumbledore said quietly, "I only wished to protect you from Voldemort's followers."

Rhode gritted her teeth, she couldn't really accept that, her voice raised in volume, "Why didn't you even check up on me? See how I was treated? I didn't even know who my parents were! Do you know what it's like to be told they were hapless drunks who died in a car accident…that I was just a broken condom?" Her anger was clear on her face, "Why was I left in the dark about them?!"

"I feared, child," Dumbledore admitted with heavy emotion, "That if you did know, your heritage and your fame, you would grow swollen in the head, like a pampered princess."

Technically she was a princess, sort of, but that wasn't the point here.

"So it was better that I was abused!?" Rhode shouted and glared furiously, "And for your information, I know my heritage _very_ well." she spat out, _Far more then you'll ever know, old man._ A part of her wanted to deck him, but then she'd be expelled which would suck. She pushed off the desk, glaring at the man, "We're done." She moved to leave.

Dumbledore blinked, regaining his wits at her abrupt dismissal, "My dear girl, I-"

"I," Rhode turned around sharply, "am not your 'dear girl'. I'm just another student in the crowd. You people wanted Rhode Potter, the 'Girl-Who-Lived'? Well guess what? She's dead. You've only got Rhode Evans now!" The daughter of Poseidon snapped, "I only came here to learn magic. That's it. My _personal_ life, is not your damn business and I suggest you stay away from it." She warned, her finger pointing at him.

With that, she turned on the balls of her feet, heading towards the door.

Which would not open.

Rhode turned around, again, glaring at the old man, "Open this door. Now." She said with steel, but Dumbledore had a deep frown on his face, his grandfather-like façade gone.

"Rhode, I need you to answer my questions." He said sternly.

"I don't have to tell you anything." The daughter of Poseidon said with utter defiance.

"If you don't answer my questions Rhode then I can only assume the worse and act accordingly. Hmm... Perhaps the Weasleys could take you in..."

Rhode balked and stomped forward, standing in front of the desk, "Where the hell do you get off telling me where I go, old man?"

"It is for your own good, Rhode."

"Oh, because the first place you picked was sooo good." The daughter of the sea mocked the wizard.

Dumbledore frowned, "An error on my part, yes, but just as that was for your well-being, so is this."

The thought of leaving Annabeth and Luke angered Rhode like no tomorrow. Even worse, this guy wanted to cage her up again. No! Rhode had tasted freedom and she'd be damned if she lost it again! As her temper built, the earth far beneath their feet began to shake.

Fortunately, for all involved before Rhode lost all control, an idea struck her. Acting on it, she gave the Headmaster a tiny smile, "You know, Headmaster, I think you should contact my current guardian, Chiron. He'll explain everything." She said slyly. If she could get Chiron in on this, she knew he'd get this mortal to stop harassing her. Or before she decked him, either or.

Dumbledore gained a stunned look, "Guardian?" Rhode happily nodded, making the old man frown. Dumbledore turned to his floo, "Address?" he asked, wanting to know where she was currently living.

Rhode walked up to him, rudely grabbed the floo powder and tossed it into the fireplace, "Καμπ Ημίαιμος." She said, addressing Camp Half-Blood in ancient Greek, hoping the old man didn't know it. Rhode leaned her head forward, "Chiron? Hey, Chiron!" she called out loudly, since she did call the campfire.

"Hello~!" the face of Gaige sang out, her pigtails looking like fire torches. "Oh, Rhode! Sup?"

"Hey Gaige. Listen, I need you to get Chiron."

Gaige looked around curiously, "Nice place. Hey, can I order a pizza on this thing?"

Rhode palmed her face, "Gaige. Chiron, now."

"Fine fine, geez." The daughter of Hephaestus huffed and turned her head, "CHIRON! YOU HAVE A CALL AT THE CAMPFIRE!" she shouted loudly, making Dumbledore hold his ears at the volume.

The clopping of hooves were heard as a voice said, "Ah, thank you, Gaige."

"Anytime, Chiron. Bye Rhode, don't do anything I wouldn't do!" Gaige gave her cheerful goodbye and left the fireplace. She was replaced with the sophisticated face of Chiron, a thankful sight to see in Rhode's opinion.

"Hey Chiron." Rhode said.

"Rhode, is everything alright?" the trainer asked with a touch of worry.

Before Rhode could answer, Dumbledore intervened, the jerk, "Greetings, Mr. Chiron. I am Rhode's Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore."

"Chiron Brunner," Chiron returned casually, a knowing look dawned on him, "Is there something the matter?"

"Yes," Dumbledore nodded, "It concerns her guardianship. I am currently her acting magical guardian-"

"Wait what?" Rhode asked.

"And I would ask you to relinquish custody of the girl. You see, it deals with Rhode's safety and-"

"What?!" Rhode roared with outrage, "Like freaking hell you have any right to do that!"

"It's for the best, Rhode, that we adults discuss this." Dumbledore said, patronizingly trying to comfort her.

Rhode's fist tightened and she soon cocked her arm back, preparing to strike the wizard until Chiron's voice spoke up.

"Rhode," the trainer said smoothly, getting her to pause, "The Headmaster is right, we will discuss this." He assured her.

Rhode looked at him but his eyes were stern, making her back down somewhat. Still, Rhode glared heatedly at the Headmaster.

"Chiron, what in Olympus are you doing? If you want to lose your beard, just shave it!"

Chiron's fire face shifted left, "Merely a floo call, Mr. D."

"Well, stop playing with your little friends and hurry back to the game."

"It's in regard to Rhode. Her headmaster is on the line."

"Ugh, I knew that one would be trouble from the start! Gone a day and already causing havoc. Fine, deal with it."

"Indeed I shall." Chiron said and regard Dumbledore, "Perhaps a face to face would be best?" the centaur asked, "Otherwise he won't stop pestering me." He mumbled so softly, no one heard him.

Dumbledore nodded, not opposed to this.

"Very well, just a moment if you will." Chiron and left the floo. The atmosphere between Rhode and Dumbledore was so thick, it could be cut with a knife.

A few moments later, the fireplace flashed and Chiron was there in wheelchair mode and dressed for success in his blazer and tie combo.

Dumbledore observed the handicapped man, who had nothing but a pleasant smile on his face.

Rhode looked at the trainer, and if she blinked, she would have missed the disguised centaur scan the room lightning quick, "Hey, Chiron." The demigod waved, "Welcome to the party." She sarcastically said, getting a nod from the Activities Director.

"Rhode," Chiron turned to the old wizard, "Headmaster Dumbledore." He held out his hand in greeting. The aged magic user returned the greeting, shaking Chiron's hand and withheld a wince.

"Quite the grip, Mr. Burnner."

"Well, one must stay in shape." The centaur quipped with a small smile.

A moment later, the burning face of Mr. D popped up, the fire turning purple. Chiron had a ghosting smile at the image, "Rochel, you best stay out of trouble. That place is the only way I get to see less of you after all." Mr. D sniffed with distaste.

"Yeah, sure thing, Mr. D." Rhode answered in a bored tone.

The fiery faced god nodded and ended the floo call, leaving the faint smell of grapes wafting from the smoke.

Cheerful guy, that Mr. D. Like that drunk Santa from Miracle on Thirty-Fourth Street.

Rhode shifted back to Chiron and Dumbledore, who were eying each other, looking for a weakness.

She would forever call this moment the Battle of the Beards. She had ten drachma on Chiron.

"Please," Dumbledore waved his hand before his desk. Chiron wheeled over, Rhode taking the seat near him. She had a smile on her face, knowing Chiron was about to own this guy verbally. He was cool like that.

"You mentioned that this was about Rhode's guardianship, correct?" Chiron asked for verification.

"Yes," Dumbledore nodded, "Have you heard of the Wizarding War?"

"In passing." Chiron answered casually.

"Excellent. Despite fall of Voldemort at young Rhode's hands-"

"-Which is really dumb to believe." Rhode interrupted, getting a soft shush from Chiron.

Dumbledore coughed into his hand, "Yes, well. As I was saying, despite Voldemort's fall, his followers are sadly still out and about."

"Are you saying your government failed to capture these dangerous elements?"

Dumbledore gave a grudging nod.

"So your governmental body lacks competence." Chiron wasn't questioning, more along the lines of stating a fact.

Dumbledore's lips turned thin, "In certain regards, yes. But because of these dangerous elements, Rhode is in grave danger." Rhode could barely hold back her snort, "I can assure she receives adequate protection from these dangerous magicals." He carefully explained.

Chiron laced his fingers over his lap, eyes never leaving Dumbledore's, "To start off, I would like to say that Rhode is perfectly safe where she is." He said since that had been Camp Half-Blood's job for centuries. Add with young Thalia's sacrifice with her tree now strengthening its boarders, it would take something powerful indeed to enter the camp. Something orders of magnitude greater than anything the Wizarding World could bring to bear. "I have kept my wards safe for a long time, Headmaster, the protections we have in place are almost divine one could say." He quipped with a small smile.

"Such as?"

"I'm not at liberty to share that information." Chiron stated bluntly.

"Mr. Brunner, Rhode's safety is paramount. I must insist you provide me more details."

"I must refuse, Headmaster."

Taking a beep breathe to calm his clearly growing frustration, Dumbledore went for a different approach, "As Rhode ran away from her previous…residence due to their... lack of warmth." Rhode almost exploded at hearing the old fool downplay her abuse like that, but managed to restrain herself when Chiron placed a placating hand on her shoulder. "I was planning to place her in a more caring family."

Rhode glared at him, "And I told you like hell you are!" he was basically trying to take her away from her family! Dumbledore ignoring her as if she was just some child just further ignited her aggravation with the man. The hand resting on her shoulder squeezed it and she took a side glance to see Chiron giving her a reassuring look and spoke.

"Headmaster, I look after many wards, some of which are people that Rhode has made bonds with, a new family as it were. So such an action would be ill-advised."

Dumbledore raised a silver brow, "Certainly that cannot replace a proper family." He boldly declared.

But Chiron refuted him in a second, "And taking an unwilling child into a foster home with an already pre-existing one? That certainly does not sound like a "proper" family either." He pointed out, "In fact, I believe it would cause distress for all involved."

"I have confidence that my prospective placement is capable of overcoming such difficulties."

"And considering your past record on selecting Rhode's guardians I fear I do not share your confidence." Chiron informed with a furrowed brow. Rhode was not forthcoming on the details of her mortal relatives. But with his experience, Chiron knew it left a volatile impression on Rhode from her expressions alone when the topic was brought up.

A grimace flashed across Dumbledore's face, "Should Rhode not be raised by her own kind? They would raise her well and educate her about our customs that have been robbed of her. Certainly she deserves that?" the old man pleaded his case.

Chiron merely raised a bushy brow, "Oh? I was under the impression that Rhode had already made claim to only here to learn magic? Is this not true, Rhode?" he turned to his student, who nodded.

"I did say that. In fact, I told him that just before you came here. I think his hearing's lacking." The daughter of Poseidon mocked, the old man was already in her bad books so she saw no reason to hold back her disdain for him. Chiron gave her a mild warning look, making Rhode huff and cross her arms, looking off to the side where the Phoenix rested.

Dumbledore was inwardly exasperated. Perhaps it was the fact that it was so rare that anyone argued with him these days, as most rightly found his word to be sound and well meaning. It ruffled his pride that someone only half his age who knew not of their world would disagree on such a vital issue as Rhode Potter's safety. It seemed he would have to start going at this with a heavy hand.

"Mr. Brunner," Dumbledore started off in a smooth tone, "For your information, I am a Grand Sorcerer, the Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards, and the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot."

Chiron's tone changed to a tone Rhode had never heard before, a steely calm as his intense brown eyes sharpened like a raptor, "Pardon, but are you threatening me?" Dumbledore was stunned for but a moment, but the disguised centaur didn't give him a chance to speak, "I do believe going in circles is pointless as of now. You are obviously wholly unwilling to accept anything except gaining full control over Rhode, and I will not accept you doing so. As such, it would be prudent to let the courts decide the matter of Rhode's custody."

The mortal was really starting to rustle Chiron's jimmies. The trainer of heroes idly thought of just using the Mist on the mortal, but with how desperate the mortal was trying to gain custody of Rhode, even if he used the Mist, who was to say the old wizard would not try some other tactic? It was best to just let a mortal count handle this and tie Dumbledore's hands officially.

Dumbledore looked elated at this, "Yes, I do believe it would be best." He said with a grandfather-like smile. "I believe we are done for today." He said, rising out of his chair and Chiron slowly wheeled back to the fireplace.

The centaur stopped and gave Rhode an encouraging glance, but her eyes were set firm on Dumbledore, kindled with anger. Chiron inwardly frowned and hoped that the daughter of Poseidon would not take rash actions and try to ride out the school year with minimum trouble.

With the meeting concluded, Rhode was finally allowed to leave and then Chiron Floo'd back to Camp Half-Blood. As the two departed the Headmaster was left alone in his office as he started to jot a few notes down on parchment, supremely confident that between his natural charisma and influence he'd say any court to see things his way so he can properly protect young Rhode.

* * *

After marching down the stairs in a foul mood, Rhode followed McGonagall back to the Gryffindor house quarters. As they took the twisting and turning path, the two witches didn't make conversation, which Rhode was grateful for. At the very end a corridor hung the portrait of a very fat woman in a pink silk dress. "Password?" she said.

"Caput Draconis," said the professor, and the portrait swung forward to reveal a round hole in the wall. Rhode soon found herself in the Gryffindor common room, a cozy, round room full of squashy armchairs.

McGonagall directed her to the top of a spiral staircase - they were obviously in one of the towers - and finally her dorm room. The room was furnished with five four-posters hung with deep red, velvet curtains. Her trunk and backpack had already been brought up.

Rhode just walked tiredly over to her bed, falling face first on it without even bothering to change out of her uniform. She was used to sleeping in the same clothes days on end. Laundromats were expensive after all. She pulled a picture out of her pocket, giving it a sad smile. It was one of Thalia, Luke, Annabeth, and herself, grinning like no tomorrow, looking all hopeful and bright. With a heavy sigh, she closed her eyes.

Rhode stirred in her sleep. Demigod dreams were never fun, they usually meant something down the road was going to happen, or you were viewing something in the present…or maybe even the past.

Basically demigod dreams were really screwy.

Like that guacamole dream. Man, that was a weird one. Yet a Mexican restaurant saved her life two days later.

In her dream, Rhode was wearing Quirrell's turban, which kept talking to her, telling her she must transfer to Slytherin at once, because it was her destiny. The daughter of the sea told the turban to screw off and get lost in a donation bin. It got heavier and heavier; she tried to pull it off but it tightened painfully – until she drew her dagger and stabbed it, getting it to wail in agony. Suddenly there was a burst of green light and Rhode woke in a cold sweat, eyes scanning the dorm room. In her hand was her dagger, clenched tightly.

As her breath calmed down, she untied Thalia's jacket from her waist and wore it around her tightly. She placed her dagger back under her pillow. Closing her eyes once more, idly wondering what her dream was about.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Rhode and Ron meet, but don't go thinking they'll be super close, they are just more of acquaintances in the same house and a slight guide for things of magic.
> 
> Rhode is still a Gryffindor, because where else would she go? Like the hat said, she'd cause havoc with the snakes, she's smart, but not Ravenclaw smart, she's loyal, but only to those who are closet to her due to living on the street for so long, so no Hufflepuff. She's not Percy after all, excessive loyalty is his thing.
> 
> Epic Rap Battle of History! Dumbledore versus, Chirooon! Begin!
> 
> If someone can do that, I would be ever thankful. And you would just plain rule.
> 
> Anyway, yes. Dumbledore is going to get owned by Chiron. Please note, I do not enjoy bashing, or am I trying to, but Dumbledore makes it too easy, honest. I am sticking with his nature or as close as I can be. It was clear that Rhode was not going to Hogwarts for the experience, but for only learning magic, since her world is that of a demigod, not a witch. To her, magic might as well be a dagger, a simple, although powerful, tool. Let's just say she might turn some heads and flip some bodies both figuratively and literally. Also note that it looks like bashing because Dumbles is the 'bad guy' here, but he isn't. Because his idea of what is in Rhode's best interests is contrary to her interests as shaped by her broader understanding of the world stemming from her demigod heritage. Basically he comes across badly because he's Rhode's enemy, not because he's inherently a bad guy. Hope you all can understand that.
> 
> Also, because the sea cannot be contained!
> 
> Sieg: MUST. RESIST. MUST. RESIST. MUST. NOT. MAKE. RHODE. STAB. DUMB-AS-A-DOOR!
> 
> Seig, dude, easy! Where did you get that crowbar?! Down! DOWN!
> 
> Sieg: DEATH!
> 
> No! Wait, you will have your time, but you must hold your call for blood. All in good time.
> 
> Sieg: *Throws crowbar off screen* ...fine. But it'd better happen.
> 
> Phew, that was close. Anyway, as you can see, Seig, and many others, have issues with Dumbles...yeah. That's all I got to say on that.
> 
> Well, wait for next week as we get into Rhode's classes and her first Halloween at Hogwarts. It will be awesome and smelly. Smellysome?
> 
> Sieg: Awelly?
> 
> We'll work on it.
> 
> Anyway, I love the weapon names so far guys. I got my eye on a few of them, but we'll just have to wait and see. Thanks Animal Lover13 for so many, you guys can give more than one, feel free to do so.
> 
> Now, please review, no flames, and peace off!


	7. Year One: I Become Supreme Lady of the Bathroom

**Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson or Harry Potter.**

**The Unrelenting Frozen Seas: The Journey**

**Year One: I Become Supreme Lady of the Bathroom**

**Beta: Siegfried01**

* * *

"There, look."

"Where?"

"Next to the tall kid with the red hair."

"Wearing the hat?"

"Did you see her face?"

"Did you see her scar?"

"The hat's in the way!"

Whispers followed Rhode from the moment she left her dormitory the next day. People lining up outside classrooms stood on tiptoe to get a look at her, or doubled back to pass her in the corridors again, staring. Rhode would just glare at them, couldn't they tell she was trying to figure her way around this maze of a castle? So annoying.

There were a hundred and forty-two staircases at Hogwarts: wide, sweeping ones; narrow, rickety ones; some that led somewhere different on a Friday; some with a vanishing step halfway up that you had to remember to jump. Then there were doors that wouldn't open unless you asked politely, or tickled them in exactly the right place, and doors that weren't really doors at all, but solid walls just pretending. It was also very hard to remember where anything was, because it all seemed to move around a lot. The people in the portraits kept going to visit each other, and Rhode was sure the coats of armor could walk. All these were so not cool. In particular the moving suits of armor reminded her of the automatons that she had fought in the past and that put her on edge. The massive morningstars with heads larger than her torso and claymores longer than she was tall that were held with utter nonchalance didn't really help with that.

The ghosts didn't help, either. It was always a nasty shock when one of them glided suddenly through a door you were trying to open. Nearly Headless Nick was always happy to point new Gryffindors in the right direction, but Peeves the Poltergeist was worth two locked doors and a trick staircase if you met him when you were late for class. He would drop wastepaper baskets on your head, pull rugs from under your feet, pelt you with bits of chalk, or sneak up behind you, invisible, grab your nose, and screech, "GOT YOUR CONK!" Rhode wanted to stab him…repeatedly. She'd have to test that out some time.

Even worse than Peeves was the caretaker, Argus Filch. Rhode and Ron managed to get on the wrong side of him on their very first morning which made his already annoying presence all the more unbearable. Filch found them trying to force their way through a door that unluckily turned out to be the entrance to the out-of-bounds corridor on the third floor. He wouldn't believe they were lost, was sure they were trying to break into it on purpose, and was threatening to lock them in the dungeons when they were rescued by Professor Quirrell, who was passing. That was lucky for Filch because Rhode was about to kick his butt for threatening her.

Filch owned a cat called Mrs. Norris, a scrawny, dust-colored creature with bulging, lamp like eyes just like Filch's. She patrolled the corridors alone. Break a rule in front of her, put just one toe out of line, and she'd whisk off for Filch, who'd appear, wheezing, two seconds later. Filch knew the secret passageways of the school better than anyone (except perhaps the Weasley twins) and could pop up as suddenly as any of the ghosts. The students all hated him, and it was the dearest ambition of many to give Mrs. Norris a good kick. Rhode had stepped on its tail once or twice for annoying her, something she was only able to get away with doing because she was able to dodge the creepy caretaker after the deed.

And then, once you had managed to find them, there were the classes themselves. There was a lot more to magic, as Rhode quickly found out, than waving your wand and saying a few funny words. Gods, Latin was a pain in the butt. No wonder it was a dead language. Still, that E.G.L. dictionary Chiron gave her was helping. She spent mornings using highlighters and making doggie ears in it just to keep up with everyone else. She remembered what she liked most while living on the streets, no school.

They had to study the night skies through their telescopes every Wednesday at midnight and learn the names of different stars and the movements of the planets. Rhode found it rather easy since the stars were just the ending of many a Greek history story. She was actually one of the best in class, much to Hermione Granger's ire. Plus, as per Lee's suggestion, she had borrowed one of the camp's telescopes, which were far better and clearer and compact than the old clunky wizard ones.

Three times a week they went out to the greenhouses behind the castle to study Herbology, with a dumpy little witch called Professor Sprout, where they learned how to take care of all the strange plants and fungi, and found out what they were used for. Rhode knew a little about plants, but she couldn't really hold a candle in comparison to one of her green thumbed cousins from Cabin Four.

Easily the most boring class was History of Magic (or nap time), which was the only one taught by a ghost. Professor Binns had been very old indeed when he had fallen asleep in front of the staff room fire and got up next morning to teach, leaving his body behind him. Binns droned on and on while they scribbled down names and dates, and got Emetic the Evil and Uric the Oddball mixed up. Rhode idly wondered if her uncle was trying to kill her via boredom. If so, it was strangely effective.

Professor Flitwick, the Charms teacher, was a tiny little wizard who had to stand on a pile of books to see over his desk. At the start of their first class he took the roll call, and when he reached Rhode's name he gave an excited squeak and toppled out of sight, the clatter of thick hardcover books making loud thumping noises as they came crashing down. None of the class could conceal a wince when he reappeared, a suspicious bruise shining on his forehead.

Professor McGonagall was again, different. Rhode had been right to think she was one of those kind of teachers. Strict and clever, she gave them a talking-to the moment they sat down in her first class.

"Transfiguration is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts," she said. "Anyone messing around in my class will leave and not come back. You have been warned."

Then she changed her desk into a pig and back again. They were all very impressed and couldn't wait to get started, but soon realized they weren't going to be changing the furniture into animals for a long time. After taking a lot of annoyingly complicated notes, they were each given a match and started trying to turn it into a needle. By the end of the lesson, only Hermione Granger had made any difference to her match; Professor McGonagall showed the class how it had gone all silver and pointy and gave Hermione a rare smile. Teacher's pet much?

The class everyone had really been looking forward to was Defense Against the Dark Arts, but Quirrell's lessons turned out to be a joke for the demigod. His classroom smelled strongly of garlic, which everyone said was to ward off a vampire he'd met in Romania and was afraid would be coming back to get him one of these days. His turban, he told them, had been given to him by an African prince as a thank-you for getting rid of a troublesome zombie, but not many believed him. For one thing, when Seamus Finnigan asked eagerly to hear how Quirrell had fought off the zombie, Quirrell went pink and started talking about the weather; for another, they had noticed that a funny smell hung around the turban, and the Weasley twins insisted that it was stuffed full of garlic as well, so that Quirrell was protected wherever he went. But for some reason, she felt on edge in the class, like a monster was going to attack her or something.

In general, Rhode found herself in the middle of the pack of her peers academically speaking, still trying to learn a few things along with the struggles of her dyslexia. Lots of people had come from Muggle families and, like her, hadn't had any idea that they were witches and wizards. Being a half-blood, the demigod kind, really didn't prep you for doing magic. Monster fighting? Sure. The next Merlin? Not so much. There was a lot to learn, even people like Ron didn't have much of a head start.

The one thing that irked Rhode the most about Hogwarts so far? Well, everyone would call her Potter. She'd said her name was Evans so many times it was ridiculous! Were people deaf or dumb? She honestly wasn't sure. Either way if they didn't wise up soon she'd open up a few ears, or knock some sense into them.

Rhode was supposed to polish some trophies or something for detention for giving Malfoy his dues back on the train. But she skipped it, finding it stupid just because she got into a fight _before_ school even started. Best part, they thought she served it! They didn't even bother checking up on her. Man, what a joke. Exploiting the system, how fun.

Friday was an important day for Rhode and Ron. They finally managed to find their way down to the Great Hall for breakfast without getting lost once. Seriously, this place should come with a directory.

"What have we got today?" Rhode asked Ron as she took a rough bite out of her bacon. In her other hand was a pen as she wrote on some loose-leaf from her binder. She refused to use something as archaic as quells. Hello, twenty-first century people! She was currently writing to Annabeth about her first few days, making a little doodle here and there to give a visual. She'd write to Luke later, Annabeth would throw a hissy fit if she didn't get the first letter.

"Double Potions with the Slytherins," said Ron. "Snape's Head of Slytherin House. They say he always favors them - we'll be able to see if it's true."

"Wish McGonagall favored us." said Rhode. McGonagall had just given them a large pile of homework the day before. Rhode just hoped it wasn't a recurring theme because homework sucked.

Worst of all, Rhode hadn't gotten even a chance to train at all here. She was feeling restless and needed a sparring dummy. Hopefully Lee would oblige. She'd been so busy Rhode hadn't gotten a chance at all to talk to her fellow demigods either. Well, she could with Lee since they were in the same house, but he was too busy chatting up older girls and hanging out with the Weasley Twins.

Just then, the mail arrived. Rhode had gotten used to this by now, but it had given her a bit of a shock on the first morning, when about a hundred owls had suddenly streamed into the Great Hall during breakfast, circling the tables until they saw their owners, and dropping letters and packages onto their laps. She swore some of them were giving her looks, blinking those big eyes with menacing hoots. Rhode just hoped it didn't end up like that freaky movie, The Birds.

Hedwig hadn't brought Rhode anything so far. She sometimes flew in though to nibble her ear and have a bit of toast before going off to sleep in the owlery with the other school owls. This morning was no different, she fluttered down between the marmalade and the sugar bowl and pecked at her bacon.

"Fine, steal my bacon," Rhode mumbled. She stuffed the letter into a paper envelope and handed it to the owl, "Give that to Bethy, okay, Hedwig?" the owl bobbed her head and after quickly finishing off her stolen meal took off with the letter.

"Meffy?" Ron asked with his mouth full.

"My, well, you could say she's my little sister." Rhode told him with a grimace, "And Ron, swallow. You're grossing me out." Seriously, she had seen hobos with more manners.

Ron blinked and swallowed, "I thought you were, you know, a single child." He said knowing about the Potter family like everyone else. Rhode hadn't told him about her life in the states. That was no one's business but her own.

"She's like a little sister to me. We live in the same place." Rhode vaguely answered.

"I've a little sister. She's kind of annoying." Ron commented and looked at her, "Wanna trade? Maybe yours is more bearable. Plus, she read all those stories about you, she thinks you're amazing."

Rhode scowled about the made up stories about her, well, she did slay monsters but her being some warrior princess was just…dumb and eerily accurate. Minus the princess part of course. "I wouldn't trade her for the world. Sorry, you're stuck with yours."

"Aw man," Ron slumped his shoulders.

Potions as it turned out was the worst class that she's had so far. In fact, _ever_ to be more precise.

At the start-of-term banquet, Rhode had gotten the idea that this Snape guy disliked her. By the end of the first Potions lesson, she knew she'd been wrong. Snape didn't dislike Rhode - he hated her.

And it was honestly mutual.

Potions lessons took place down in one of the dungeons. It was colder there than up in the main castle, and would have been creepy enough without the pickled animals floating in glass jars all around the walls.

Snape, like Flitwick, started the class by taking the roll call, and like Flitwick, he paused at Rhode's name.

"Ah, Yes," he said softly, "Rhode Potter. Our new - celebrity."

"It's Evans." Rhode said on reflex.

Snape's cold and empty black eyes looked into her own, "We speak when spoken to here, Potter." He said the name with acid, "A point from Gryffindor."

Malfoy and his friends Crabbe and Goyle sniggered behind their hands. Snape finished calling the names and looked up at the class.

"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion making," he began. He spoke in barely more than a whisper, but they caught every word - like Professor McGonagall, Snape had the gift of keeping a class silent without effort. "As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses... I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death - if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."

More silence followed this little speech. Rhode and Ron exchanged looks with raised eyebrows. Hermione Granger was on the edge of her seat and looked desperate to start proving that she wasn't a dunderhead.

"Potter!" said Snape suddenly. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

For a brief moment she considered ignoring the guy entirely since he wasn't using her proper name, but thought better of it. But his question itself? Powdered root of what to an infusion of what? She thought on it, but was stumped. Hermione's hand had shot into the air.

"I don't know," Rhode frowned, "And like I said, it's Ev-"

Snape's lips curled into a sneer and cut her off, "Tut, tut - fame clearly isn't everything."

He ignored Hermione's hand.

"Let's try again. Potter, where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?"

Hermione stretched her hand as high into the air as it would go without her leaving her seat, but Rhode didn't have the faintest idea what a bezoar was. It sounded like a wine cooler. She ignored Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle, who were shaking with laughter like hyenas.

"I don't know." Rhode's frown deepened, wondering what the heck this guy's deal was.

"Thought you wouldn't open a book before coming, eh, Potter?" Rhode's brow knitted into a glare. No, she hadn't. She wanted to spend as much time with Luke and Annabeth as she could before leaving.

Snape was still ignoring Hermione's quivering hand.

"What is the difference, Potter, between monkshood and wolfsbane?"

At this, Hermione stood up, her hand stretching toward the dungeon ceiling.

Wolfsbane? All she knew about that was that Medea tried to poison her half-brother, Theseus, with it, but his step-father, Aegeus, saved him. "I don't know. This is why I'm in school, for _you_ to teach me this stuff right? If you want a know-it-all, why not try Granger, her arm's looking tired." Rhode answered with attitude. This guy was really ticking her off now. Granger's overeagerness to show off her knowledge when she was being publicly embarrassed for lack of such was not helping matters either.

A few people laughed; Rhode caught Seamus' eye, and Seamus winked. Snape, however, was not pleased.

"Sit down," he snapped at Hermione. "For your information, Potter, asphodel and wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful it is known as the Draught of Living Death. A bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat and it will save you from most poisons. As for monkshood and wolfsbane, they are the same plant, which also goes by the name of aconite. Well? Why aren't you all copying that down?"

There was a sudden rummaging for quills and parchment. Or pen and paper for Rhode. Over the noise, Snape said, "And another point will be taken from Gryffindor House for your cheek, Potter." Her pen creaked, the plastic groaning in protest as she clenched it and glared at the man.

Things didn't improve for the Gryffindors as the Potions lesson continued. Snape put them all into pairs and set them to mixing up a simple potion to cure boils. He swept around in his long black cloak, watching them weigh dried nettles and crush snake fangs, criticizing almost everyone except Malfoy, whom he seemed to like. He was just telling everyone to look at the perfect way Malfoy had stewed his horned slugs when clouds of acid green smoke and a loud hissing filled the dungeon. Neville had somehow managed to melt Seamus' cauldron into a twisted blob, and their potion was seeping across the stone floor, burning holes in people's shoes. Within seconds, the whole class was standing on their stools while Neville, who had been drenched in the potion when the cauldron collapsed, moaned in pain as angry red boils sprang up all over his arms and legs.

"Idiot boy!" snarled Snape, clearing the spilled potion away with one wave of his wand. "I suppose you added the porcupine quills before taking the cauldron off the fire?"

Neville whimpered as boils started to pop up all over his nose.

"Take him up to the hospital wing," Snape spat at Seamus. Then he rounded on Rhode and Ron, who had been working next to Neville. "You - Potter - why didn't you tell him not to add the quills? Thought he'd make you look good if he got it wrong, did you? That's another point you've lost for Gryffindor."

Before Ron could stop her, Rhode spoke her mind. She tended to do that a lot. "Maybe because I was paying attention to my own work!?" She snapped, "If you weren't busy stroking Malfoy's ego and neglecting everyone else, you might've spotted Neville's mistake. Ever think of that?"

The entire class gasped.

Snape's focus turned solely on her, eyes boring into her green eyes that challenged him with her own glare, "What did you say, Potter?" he hissed in a whisper.

"It's. Evans." She hissed right back, refusing to back down from this guy. "Or does that carrot on your face block your hearing somehow?"

Silence fell in the classroom as Snape's loathsome look doubled, no, tripled in intensity. " _Ten_ points from Gryffindor, _Potter_." The man sneered, "Now get back to work!" he barked at the class.

"Screw that, I'm out of here." Rhode said, packing her bag, slung it over her shoulder, and marched out, leaping over the potion on the ground. She ignored Snape's shouts at her about losing another fifteen points. Her housemates were gaping at her actions.

"What a dick." she surmised the teacher in three simple words as she finally got some distance from the classroom.

As Rhode carried her backpack down a hallway, she heard the collapsing of books. Peering around a corner, she saw Su picking up her books, but she wasn't alone. Two older girls were with her, or rather bothering her from what Rhode could hear.

Rhode advanced towards them, she could see Su's shoulders were tensed, her lips in a small frown, her chestnut colored eyes were narrowed. But Su made no move against the girls bullying her, not even speaking to them. She opted to walk away, ignoring the older girls, but one pushed her back to where the daughter of Demeter had been.

"Come on, Li, speak up. Or are you mute?" one of the older Ravenclaws gave a shrill laugh that reminded Rhode of one of the cleaning Harpies at camp.

"Yeah," the other parroted with a sneer.

Su just kept her lips sealed, trying to get past them once more. Only she was roughly pushed down this time, her books scattering all around her.

"There a problem?" Rhode cut in harshly, getting the girls to look at her. Su blinked in surprise at seeing her.

The harpy girl muttered a curse, "What do you want, Potter?"

"It's Evans," Rhode glared sternly, still pissed about the Snape debacle, "My question is what you're doing with Su here?"

"What do you care about some Mute, Evans?"

Su had gotten to her knees, ignoring the taunt with a calming breath.

Rhode's grip on her shoulder strap tightened, "Because I hate bullies." She glared intensely.

The mean girl raised a brow, "And I should care what you think why?" she mocked, reaching for her wand, but Rhode was far quicker. Before the other girl had so much as gripped her wand, Rhode had dropped her bag, caught the girl's threatening wrist before proceeding to twist it so the bully dropped the loosely held wand, and as a final coup de grâce slammed the girl face first into the wall. She couldn't withhold the satisfied smirk as she heard bone crunch.

The bully's friend, a pasty skinned brunette, reached for her wand, firing off a spell Rhode had never heard of, but with her demigod reflexes, the daughter of Poseidon had already ducked out of the way of the spell, and in the same motion kicked the girl's hand. The brunette yelped, dropping her wand. Capitalizing on her opponent's distraction, Rhode shoulder rammed her, making her fall to the ground.

By this point, the first girl had recovered her wand and had managed to get off a spell, but Rhode side stepped the magical beam that spat from the wand and rushing forward grabbed the girl by her long straw colored hair and flipped the Ravenclaw over her body, tearing out a good clump of hair in the process. This left the mean girl wailing in pain interspersed with shouts for her friend to help her only to discover that she had already scampered away. Finding herself alone and outclassed she soon raced down the hallway too, cussing Rhode nastily.

"That's right! You better run!" Rhode shouted, "Mess with her again and I'll shave you bald!"

Well, that was certainly cathartic, beating up bullies always was. Rhode felt better now.

She turned around to see Su collecting her books for a second time, Rhode bent down to help her, "You okay, Su?" she asked in concern. Su was a fellow demigod, and if it was one rule Rhode followed, it was that demigods stick together.

"I'm fine," Su said in her soft voice. It was just above a whisper, but it was very pretty. Her lips curled upward in a smile, "Thank you, Rhode."

"No problem," Rhode said and stood up, handing the books back to Su, "So what was that all about?"

Su frowned, her eyes finding the floor oddly interesting, "It was just some repugnant hazing from what I could gather."

Rhode's mouth formed into a scowl, "What? That's stupid!"

Su just nodded, a tiny frown on her face.

"Why didn't you fight back?" the daughter of Poseidon asked. Su could have taken those girls.

Su flustered, "I was just going to ignore them. They'd leave me alone eventually."

Rhode shook her head, "Su, that's a good way to end up as a doormat…trust me." She said in a bitter tone, remembering her 'childhood'. "Backing down makes them think it's okay. You have to fight back."

The daughter of Demeter frowned, "I believe in only fighting when the situation demands it. Sticks and stones, Rhode."

"I'd rather use the sticks and stones." Rhode grunted. "More efficient."

Su gave her fellow half-blood a worried look, "You do know you're going to get in trouble, yes?"

Rhode gave a look that just said: Your point is?

"I see," Su muttered under her breath.

"So, where were you heading?" Rhode asked, picking up her bag by the straps.

"The library." Su gave a cute little smile, excitement gleaming in her chestnut eyes, "I was going to get a head start on that homework Chiron gave us."

Rhode faltered, "You…you actually have time for that?"

Su cocked her head, "You don't?" she ask innocently.

Rhode snorted and pulled out her current Bible, the E.G.L. dictionary, "Still trying learning from this. Latin is such a pain. I'm barely scraping by."

"I could help you." Su said quickly, "I owe you one-"

Rhodes stopped her right there, "I didn't help you because I wanted something in return, Su. I did it because it was the right thing to do." she said as if it was obvious and to her it was. She hated bullies. They reminded her of her cousin Dudley. "I don't need you to help me because you want to pay me back. Not that I wouldn't mind the help, you know? Gods know I need it. But only if _you_ want to help me." She shrugged, "If you don't want to, don't. Simple as that."

Su just looked stunned for a moment, her small voice mustering out, "I want to." She said, standing a little straighter.

Rhode smirked, "Okay then. Now, fair warning. I might start out a bit stupid, so forgive me." She laughed with a sheepish look, "Haven't been to school in ages." She shouldered her bag as they started walking to the library.

"It's easy once you get a handle on it. It also helps if you make mental shortcuts." Su informed.

"You're the Ravenclaw here, I'll take your word for it."

They ended up working in the library until dinner. Even with Su's help, Rhode still struggled, but was getting the hang of it bit by bit. Or at least that's what Su said. Rhode honestly couldn't tell, not with only a day's worth of work to go on. At dinner, Rhode sat at the Ravenclaw table, getting plenty of odd looks. But Rhode didn't care, she was having fun chatting with her newest friend, Su.

Later, McGonagall cornered Rhode in the Gryffindor tower, over her standing up to Snape. An event that was the talk of the school. Rhode flat-out told the professor she wasn't going to take Snape's harassing attitude, plain and simple. In return, she got a lengthy lecture, which she tuned out, about respecting her teachers and another detention.

Rhode still didn't go.

* * *

A few days into the term, Rhode got a letter back from Annabeth. It was all written in rushed little excited script as she talked about how cool Rhode's classes sounded. Rhode had yet to write about potions. After gushing over Rhode's classes Annabeth went into how she was doing at camp, talking about Luke, how she was learning to use her dagger and saying she'd beat Rhode once she got back. She just rambled on about the little things and asking more questions about the school.

There was even a little drawing from the blonde, stick figures, aww. It looked like Annabeth…fighting a killer badger? Or was that a wombat? Maybe it was a guinea pig, it was really hard to tell.

The last part of the letter was that Annabeth wanted more letters, eager to hear about what Rhode was doing and studying. The daughter of the sea was happy to oblige. She wrote about how things were going here currently. She included a smaller letter addressed to Luke, to see how he was doing.

She also got a letter from Chiron. The preliminary proceedings for her custody case were going well. Apparently they had to go to Ministry of Magic to give her testimony at the formal hearing set during the winter holiday. That was fine with Rhode, she just wanted to get this stupid thing over with. Her custody battle actually made the newspapers, which was really annoying when people would come up to ask her something about it.

The next week zoomed by quickly, and before she knew it Thursday had arrived. The biggest thing that was going on was the broom flying lessons. Everyone was either happy or nervous as heck. In the run-up to the big day, kids from wizarding families were boasting, telling tales of dodging helicopters or hand gliders. The exception being Neville who was freaking out. A feeling shared by the muggle-raised kids who were all pretty nervous about the whole thing, the worse being Hermione Granger who was reading on all she could learn.

Rhode? Well, she was just going to skip it. She valued her life after all. See, Zeus didn't like his brothers' kids in the sky. Kind of like going over to someone's house for dinner without a pie. But instead of getting an annoyed look, you got a bolt to the face…even if you offered a pie.

Neville had gotten a gift from his Gran, a Remembrall. A little clear glass tennis ball that started to change red inside if you forgot something. It wouldn't tell you what though. It was in Rhode's frank opinion a stupid little thing and another sign of the Wizards' madness. But Neville seemed happy about it. So when Malfoy slinked by, trying to take it from Neville, Rhode decided to stand up for her housemate and caught the blonde brat's wrist in a vice grip as he reached for the ball, glaring at him. His bodyguards loomed behind him, trying to look tough and scary, but Rhode ignored them. Luckily (for them) McGonagall was there in a flash, stopping anything from happening.

Teachers were annoying like that.

Whilst she skipped the life threatening (to her) flying lesson, Rhode managed to run into Lee, who told her that they'd be training in the coming week. Rhode of course asked why they hadn't so far, but Lee said he wanted them to adjust first. A likely story in Rhode's opinion, More likely the son of Hermes had gotten too distracted with catching up with his friends and life at Hogwarts and forgotten all about training until now. But whatever the case, she was eager to get some training in so she rolled with the boy's silly excuse.

After catching up with Ron after his flying lesson, he told her that Malfoy took Neville's Remembrall after the poor boy crashed. Seemed that moron hasn't learned yet. She's need to give yet another remedial lesson it seemed. Putting thought to action, Rhode stormed around the castle until she found the kiddie Ken doll's bodyguards. They were standing outside a boy's bathroom.

The two stooges tried their best to look menacing, scowling and cracking their knuckles, but one frightening glare and a low toned, "Move." Seemed to have them remember how bad she kicked their butts. They parted like the red sea and Rhode marched into the bathroom.

Malfoy was in a stall. So, she kicked it open.

He screamed like a little girl as he covered himself. Rhode caught him with his pants down, literally.

She held him at wand point and told him to hand over the Remembrall. She didn't know any threatening spells yet, so it was just a bluff. Not that the idiot knew it.

He looked like he wanted to refuse, but Rhode used her mastery of toilets to make his start to shake from water pressure. Visibly terrified by the display he assumed was magic, he handed it over in a second. Rhode smiled and told him to keep being stupid, walking out of the bathroom whistling happily as she returned the Remembrall to Neville at dinner, who thanked her greatly.

Malfoy, trying to save face, attempted to challenge her to a duel, but Rhode brushed him off. The kid was nowhere near her level, that much she could tell from a mere glance. She had plenty of experience with duels after all, having fought a good number of them with Thalia and Luke. She'd lost her fair share, she wasn't afraid to admit that. Plus, Thalia so cheated with her static zaps. Like, all the time!

Malfoy tried calling Rhode a coward, but she just pointed out how he screamed like a banshee and that made him storm away with his goons, face red.

Loser.

* * *

Lee smiled at the cousins, "Well, girls, time to get some training in."

"About damn time," Rhode rolled her eyes.

Su and Rhode were following Lee up to the seventh floor. Rhode was in a pair of grey sweatpants, a black tanktop, her sneakers, and Thalia's jacket. The promised training area was finally going to be shown to them. After today they could go there whenever they fancied or at least had free time.

They ended up near a tapestry of a guy trying to teach trolls ballet as Lee was looking at a blank wall.

"You know you could take a picture, right?" Rhode told him.

"Ye of little faith," the son of Hermes held his chest in mock woe is me way, "Look at the wall, Aquagirl."

"Don't call me that you-what?" Rhode had blinked and suddenly there was a door in front of them, "…A secret room?"

"The most secretest," Lee chirped with a smirk as he opened it, showing an empty room, "Welcome, ladies, to the Room of Requirement!" he fanned out his arms wide all dramatic like.

Su gave a small clap of awe while Rhode whistled, "Okay, this is cool."

"Hey, I always deliver," Lee smirked, "So, what do you want to train with?"

Rhode looked Lee up and down, "A punching bag."

A moment later, a punching bag appeared, making Rhode look surprised.

"Your punching bag, Milady." Lee bowed dramatically.

"Oh," Rhode made a small noise of disappointment. She wanted to use Lee as her punching bag.

Lee seemed to have caught that as he quickly turned to Su, "And you, Li?"

"A practice dummy, please." She asked politely. Another moment later, a straw dummy appeared, "Thank you."

"No problem," Lee smiled at her and turned to Rhode, "At least _someone_ has manners."

"I have manners," Rhode pointed out, "I just choose not to use them." She smirked at him.

"…Luke's right, I am going to have my hands full with you."

"He said what now?"

"Nothing!" Lee laughed nervously and changed topics, quickly, "So, here's the deal here. You have to think about what you want, like so." he said, pointing to the target circle that appeared, "Best place to train in all of Scotland."

Rhode took off Thalia's jacket and hung it on a coat hanger that appeared. "I guess. Hey, Su, want to do hand to hand training?" she asked.

"What?" Su blinked, "Um, no, I'm not that good at it." She wearily admitted. Plus, she didn't want to fight Rhode in hand to hand combat. She saw what the daughter of Poseidon did to those bullies.

"Come on, Li, bust out the Kung-Fu!" Lee grinned impishly, doing some mock Kung-Fu moves with sound effects.

Su frowned, her little fists on her hips, "Just because I am Chinese, does not mean I know Kung-Fu. That's stereotyping." She huffed.

"What?" Lee whined, "Seriously?"

"I mean, I learned a little fighting at camp." Su admitted, "But it's very limited."

"So, come on, let's go." Rhode said, holding up her fists like a boxer. Lee stepped back, playing the role of referee. Su looked at their excited smiles and sighed.

"Fine."

Not even a minute later, Su was face first on the ground, "Owie."

"Y-You okay, Su?" Rhode asked with concern, kneeling down next to the downed girl. Did she go too hard?

Su looked up, rubbing her little nose, "I don't like close quarter combat." She pouted. Fighting like that hurt.

"Don't you use a sword?" Lee asked, coming over with his hands in his pockets.

Su sat up and crossed her legs. She pulled out an oriental fan made of wood and opened it. It had a green paper background with a long branch that had little pink flowers blooming. A second later, it morphed into a two foot xiphos, "I'm decent with it, but I'm much better with controlling my powers." The daughter of Demeter admitted with a tiny smile.

"I like doing it both ways." Rhode told Su. Lee snickered juvenilely, getting a confused look from the daughters of Poseidon and Demeter.

"Nothing, nothing," Lee waved off with one more laugh, "So, you two check out the third floor corridor?" he asked them eagerly.

"No/Nope." The cousins answered, getting a stunned look from Lee.

"What?!" he gaped at them, "Why not?"

"Didn't headmaster Dumbledore say something about certain death?" Su asked him.

"Please, that was a clear invitation! Where's your sense of demigod adventure?"

Rhode snorted, "I got my adventure before coming to camp. I could use a little relaxation." Even though she really wouldn't call school relaxing.

"Well I went," Lee crossed his arms with a smug smile, "You'd never guess what's in there."

Su and Rhode exchanged looks, "What?" the daughter of Poseidon asked.

Lee's smile broadened, "A Cerberus!" he exclaimed with a laugh.

The girls paused, "What?" Rhode's voice cracked like a whip, eyes narrowed, "You're sure?"

"Yep." Lee nodded.

"…This place is nuts!" the daughter of Poseidon shouted, arms in the air, "Who's the soft headed idiot who brought a Cerberus to a school full of kids?" She demanded.

"Hagrid." Lee casually answered. To the looks he got, the boy elaborated, "See, Hagrid, the Grounds Keeper, is a big animal softy. If a Cerberus got into the school, oh, he'd know for sure." That twinkle of mischief that children of Hermes were known for was burning like a star, "So I went down to his hut and leaned on him a bit."

"I doubt you could." Rhode said due to the sheer size of the man.

"I meant figuratively. You know the saying 'Loose lips sink ships'?" Lee asked, getting nods as he laughed, "Well, let's just say that good old Hagrid is a bloody Dreadnaught!" he slapped his knee, "One of my best sources of information here next to the portraits." He stated and leaned forward with a grin, "He dropped the dog's name, it's Fluffy by the way. Real messed up name for a hellhound. But guess what else he slipped?"

Su and Rhode exchanged looks and turned back to Lee, "What?" the daughter of Poseidon asked.

"It's guarding something by Nicolas Flamel! Saw the thing hovering over a trapdoor." Lee exclaimed, "Him and Dumbledore are thick as thieves I hear. So whatever's down there, it's got to be cool…and worth something good." He commented with a rub of his chin, probably thinking of what the object was and how much money he could make off it.

Rhode shook her head, "I don't want to know." She groaned as she waved Lee off. Making a mental note to stay far away from the third corridor.

Lee raised a brow, "Seriously?"

"Yeah," Rhode shrugged, "Whatever, it's probably something stupid. Anyway, I'm going to work out while I can." She said, walking over to the punching bag where a pair of cestus, leather gloves, appeared. "This room rocks." She grinned and slipping them on started training.

Seeing that the conversation had come to an end, Su moved over to her practice dummy to practice a few sword strokes. Pouting at the lack of enthusiasm towards his scheme, Lee stalked off to his makeshift range and began throwing his knives at the target circle, doing trick shots for a challenge.

During their break, Su commented about Gringotts getting robbed a little while ago and maybe it had something to do with what was hidden in the third floor corridor. After all, she reasoned, after Gringotts, Hogwarts was reputed to be the safest place in Britain so if the former was robbed it only made sense to hide whatever was the target in the school. Lee waved it off saying it was a ridiculously farfetched idea.

Besides, he noted nothing was taken. He did however compliment whoever had the guts to do it, but still insulted them for not taking anything after having pulled off Wizarding Britain's break-in of the century. This led to Rhode asking about her own banking stuff and Lee replying the market was looking good from what he read in the paper that morning.

Rhode honestly had no idea what on earth that meant but before she could say so, he went on to say that he had got an owl from his mum saying she had found someone good to work on Rhode's finances. That was good news in Poseidon's daughter's opinion since it was one less nuisance to worry about.

* * *

It had been already two months since Rhode had come to Hogwarts. Her lessons, too, were becoming more and more interesting now that they had mastered the basics. She still had her struggles, but with Su's help, it was getting easier as time went by. She had sent almost constant letters to Annabeth and Luke, she missed them and hoped the Christmas holiday would hurry up.

On Halloween morning they woke to the delicious smell of baking pumpkin wafting through the corridors. Even better, Flitwick announced in Charms that he thought they were ready to start making objects fly, something they had all been dying to try since they'd seen him make Neville's toad zoom around the classroom. Flitwick put the class into pairs to practice. Rhode's partner was Seamus Finnigan. Ron, however, was to be working with Hermione Granger, something the neither of them seemed too pleased about. Rhode felt sorry for him.

Rhode and Hermione had a…tense relationship. If Hermione was the goody-two shoes point scorer of Gryffindor. Then Rhode was the bad girl who broke the rules and lost those points. She had already lost a lot of points for their house (mostly because of Snape). As a result, not many were thrilled with her, none more so than the Granger girl.

Like hell Rhode would bow to some peer pressure system! If they wanted some dinky cup, good for them. The child of the sea honestly didn't care.

Beyond the issues about the points and the worthless cup, the bushy haired girl just grinded on her nerves in just about every possible way. A feeling she suspected was mutual. Rhode often kept her area of the dorm messy, which would lead to Hermione nagging her, annoying Rhode. Rhode would often give her a look that said she didn't care and to shut up, which in turn peeved Hermione.

One time when Rhode was oversleeping due to a rather tiring training session, Hermione had tried to stir Rhode awake. Now, here's an important fun fact: Never trying to stir awake someone who's lived on the streets. Rhode had literally grabbed her hand before it could touch her on reflex, rolled off her bed and pinned Hermione down, painfully. Rhode got off of the girl and told her to never try and wake her up again. Hermione tattled on Rhode, getting her another detention.

Once more, Rhode did not attend it.

Back in the present, Flitwick was giving his instructions on how to carry out the levitation charm they were to be attempting in class that day. "Now, don't forget that nice wrist movement we've been practicing!" squeaked Flitwick, perched on top of his pile of books as usual. "Swish and flick, remember, swish and flick. And saying the magic words properly is very important, too - never forget Wizard Baruffio, who said 's' instead of 'f' and found himself on the floor with a buffalo on his chest."

Rhode went first in her pair and got the feather to float four inch off the desk for a moment, making her smile. Seamus tried but got so impatient when it did nothing, he prodded it with his wand, setting it on fire - Rhode snuffed it out with her hand. See, since her dad was Poseidon, she had some kind of heat resistance due to his oceanic nature. So a little fire like that didn't really hurt her. It made for a cool party trick too.

Ron, at the next table, wasn't having much luck either.

"Wingardium Leviosa!" he shouted, waving his long arms like a windmill.

"You're saying it wrong," Rhode heard Hermione snap. "It's Wing-gar-dium Levi-o-sa, make the 'gar' nice and long."

"You do it, then, if you're so clever," Ron snarled.

Hermione rolled up the sleeves of her gown, flicked her wand, and said, "Wingardium Leviosa!"

Their feather rose off the desk and hovered about four feet above their heads.

"Oh, well done!" cried Flitwick, clapping. "Everyone see here, Miss Granger's done it!"

Ron was in a very bad mood by the end of the class. "It's no wonder no one can stand her," he said to Rhode as they pushed their way into the crowded corridor, "she's a nightmare, honestly."

Someone knocked into Rhode as they hurried past her. It was Granger. Rhode caught a glimpse of her face - and was surprised to see that she was in tears. Rhode thought the girl had thicker skin than that.

"I think she heard you." Rhode idly commented.

"So?" said Ron, but he looked a bit uncomfortable. "She must've noticed she's got no friends."

Granger didn't turn up for the next class and wasn't seen all afternoon. On their way down to the Great Hall for the Halloween feast, Rhode and Ron overheard Parvati Patil telling her friend Lavender that Granger was crying in the girls' bathroom and wanted to be left alone. Ron looked more awkward at this, but a moment later they had entered the Great Hall, and the Halloween decorations put the bookworm out of their minds.

A thousand live bats fluttered from the walls and ceiling while a thousand more swooped over the tables in low black clouds, making the candles in the pumpkins stutter. The feast appeared suddenly on the golden plates, as it had at the start-of-term banquet.

Rhode was just helping herself to a baked sweet potato (which she loved) when Professor Quirrell came sprinting into the hall, his turban askew and terror on his face, "Troll – in the dungeons! Troll in the dungeons!" Everyone stared at him as he stood in the middle lane of the tables, "Thought you ought to know."

He then sank to the floor in a dead faint, face first.

Gods, that was just pathetic! And he called himself a DADA professor?

There was an uproar. It took several purple firecrackers exploding from the end of Dumbledore's wand to bring silence.

"Prefects," he rumbled, "lead your Houses back to the dormitories immediately!"

In the background she heard Snape rush over to Dumbledore and whisper into his ear quietly but furiously, even as he gave what were clearly a series of hand signals that caused the Prefects in his house to stop what they were doing. Obviously, he at least had enough brains to realize that sending his snakes to their dorm in the dungeons, where the troll was supposed to be, was monumentally stupid. Rhode, for all her hatred for him, had to give the potion master credit for not being a complete idiot like his colleagues appeared to be.

She was curious to hear where the snakes would end up for the night, but Percy was in his element and quickly rushed her and her housemates out of the Great Hall before she could catch even the slightest hint. Bah! Overeager, pretentious BOY! She didn't miss how in the midst of showing off his 'leadership skills' he was sending glances over to some girl his year at the Ravenclaw table. He was obviously grandstanding to get her attention. Honestly, she didn't know why guys seemed so intent on impressing girls but they can do some frankly silly things to do so.

"Follow me! Stick together, first years! No need to fear the troll if you follow my orders! Stay close behind me, now. Make way, first years coming through! Excuse me, I'm a prefect!"

"How could a troll get in?" Rhode asked as they climbed the stairs. She thought this place was supposed to be safe.

"Don't ask me, they're supposed to be really stupid," said Ron. "Maybe Peeves let it in for a Halloween joke?"

They passed different groups of people hurrying in different directions. As they jostled their way through a crowd of confused Hufflepuffs, Rhode suddenly paused and cursed under breath.

"What?" Ron asked her.

 _We forgot about Granger._ Rhode thought and looked at Ron, eyes narrowed, "I'll be right back." She said but Ron stopped her.

"Y-You want me to come too?" he asked with a nervous look, trying (and failing) to sound brave. It only took one glance and Rhode could tell he was hoping she'd say no.

The daughter of Poseidon shook her head, "No. Just cover for me if anyone asks, okay?"

"Got it." The ginger nodded, his relief at missing out on putting himself into life threatening danger obvious. _Coward_ , Rhode idly noted. _Though he's not a demigod, so maybe I'm being unfair. Whatever! Now's not the time to worry about stuff like that!_

Ducking down, Rhode joined the Hufflepuffs going the other way, slipped down a deserted side corridor, and hurried off toward the girls' bathroom that she had heard Granger was sulking in. She had just turned the corner when she heard quick footsteps behind her.

Moving fast, she got behind a large stone griffin. Peering around it, the half-blood saw Snape. He looked deeply frazzled, which she could understand what with having to find someplace safe for his house and whatever else had him running around the school at a time like this (hunting the troll maybe?), as he crossed the corridor and disappeared from view. Rhode frowned, wondering why Snape wasn't down in the dungeons.

He looked like he was heading for the third floor corridor. Eyes narrowed, Rhode came up with three guesses. One, Snape was possibly going after whatever was on the third floor while the other teachers were looking for the troll. Or two, he was possibly going to protect it as having a troll run about would make for a good distraction for the teachers thus leaving it vulnerable. Or lastly, he was just coincidentally going that way whilst hunting for the troll. Yeah… If it was the last option, she'd tank a lightning bolt. Shaking her head, Rhode, quietly as possible, crept along the next corridor after Snape's fading footsteps. She didn't have time to worry about that now.

Suddenly as she was about halfway to her destination, Rhode paused and sniffed. A foul stench reached her nostrils, a mixture of hobo and that sewer in Chicago she and Thalia had to duck into that one time. At least she could will water off. Thalia? Not so lucky.

She heard a low grunt and thudding of huge feet. It came from the end of a passage to the left and it was moving towards her. Rhode stuck to the shadows so she could have a better look at what she was facing. In the moonlight, she could see it was twelve foot, with skin as grey a gravel, a large lumpy body with a cue ball head. It had thick short legs with flat large toe nailed feet. It was holding a huge wooden club, which it dragged along the floor because its arms were so long.

Rhode thought of her chances and knew she could take that thing down. It looked dumber than a cyclops. And _that_ was saying something.

The troll stopped next to a doorway and peered inside. It waggled its long ears, making up its tiny mind, then slouched slowly into the room.

Rhode noticed the key in the door, but she doubted that the door could hold the troll. Next, she realized that it wasn't just any room…it was the girls bathroom she had been heading towards!

She cursed and right on cue, a high-pitched scream filled the air. The demigod hurried in and saw Hermione Granger shrinking against the wall opposite, looking as if she was about to faint. The troll was advancing on her, knocking the sinks off the walls as it went, spraying water everywhere.

"This is going to suck," Rhode said under her breath and drew her dagger. Cocking her arm back, she threw it.

Right into its butt.

The troll stopped a few feet from Hermione and howled in pain, bouncing around or as best as a twelve foot monster could at least. It turned around, seeing Rhode glaring right at him. Snarling, it lifted its club, lumbering towards her.

Bending her knees, the daughter of Poseidon's eyes narrowed and she leapt forward like a spring as she dodged the swing of lumber. Coming out of a roll, the half-blood ran at Hermione, "Granger." She said, shaking her, "Come on, you have to run." Rhode said urgently as the troll hobbled around to face them.

But the mortal couldn't move, she was still flat against the wall, her mouth open with terror, screaming. Something that was really annoying Rhode. So, she did the only thing she could do.

She slapped the hysterical mortal across the face.

"Gods, shut up!" Rhode yelled, getting the mortal to blink stupidly for a moment, holding her cheek as some tears flowed down her cheeks. Ugh, it wasn't even that hard of a hit! "Okay, listen to me, you need to run."

Hermione whimpered, "I can't." she said, clearly scared out of her mind.

A growl leapt from Rhode's throat and she grabbed the useless girl by her cloak, tearing her off the wall. The daughter of Poseidon threw her across the ground that had become a good approximation of a Slip N' Slide from all the water.

"Ah!" the bookworm screamed as she slid across the floor from Rhode's throw. _Idiot! Can you do anything besides scream?_ Rhode thought uncharitably. _Like something useful?_ Drawn by the witch's scream the troll tried to grab the girl with its clumsy hand, but Hermione slid right past it, sprawling at the door. The troll advanced towards the girl's prone form, but blinked when a broken faucet banged its head, making it realize there was another tiny human it could crush.

"Come on, big boy." The demigod challenged the monster. Angered that she didn't gain the troll's attention right away, Rhode willed the streaming water from a destroyed sink to redirect at the beast. The water morphed into half a dozen ice shards and pierced into the creature's right shoulder, getting it to wail in pain. "Run!" she ordered the stunned mortal.

"But-!" Hermione started, but Rhode's glare stopped her words.

"Do as I say." She ordered and shed her cloak, feeling a strange fit of Deja vu. "Hey! Over here you stupid moron, come on ugly!" she shouted, getting its raging attention. She untied Thalia's jacket and put it on, "Think you can swing that twig? Might be a bit big for you." Rhode looked at the stunned Granger girl, "GO!" she snapped at Granger's gawking. A toilet exploded from her anger, making it rain water.

Finally jolted out of her stupor, the teachers' pet scampered out the room, rushing to find a teacher.

Rhode grunted, "Finally. Can't fight right with mortals around." She said and glared at the monster as he stalked towards her, slowly and clumsily, "Well, prepared to be flushed, troll." The daughter of Poseidon grinned, "For I am the Lady of the Toilets!" She shouted as she took steps to the side, letting herself get drenched with the toilet water that was still raining all over the bathroom.

As Rhode's senses and strength surged, she bent her knees as the troll roared and swung its club downward. She jumped back on a toilet and commanded the toilet she just broke to spray the troll. She tried to make ice again, to nail it in the face, but only delivered some toilet flavored mouthwash.

She _really_ needed to practice that more.

As the troll gargled the toilet water, an improvement in Rhode's opinion, she ran and slide between its legs, grabbing her dagger out of its butt as she did so. Stopping with her knee, she swung her dagger, slashing the back of its leg. The troll wailed and she dodged around its flailing and slashed the back of its right knee next, making it wobble in pain. Then she rolled under a swing and stabbed its left heel.

Rhode jumped out of another poor swing of the club and climbed up a stall, jumping off it to land on top of the troll's head. She wrapped her legs around the coconut shaped skull and started to stab it. Repeatedly.

The troll was flailing around in pain, roaring. In one last desperate attempt to live, it charged head first into the wall of the bathroom, slamming Rhode into it. Hard.

"Oof!" she grunted as she fell off from the blow, landing on her back, "Ow, you bastard," she groaned and rolled onto her knees. Rhode saw its shadow loom over her, "Oh hell no!" She lunged just in time as the troll fell to the ground in a wet thud.

Rhode got up with a wince, "I think I broke something," she muttered and brushed her left ribs and released a sharp hiss of pain, "A rib, definitely broke a rib." She glared at the unmoving troll. She walked up to it and kicked its abused head, " _That_ was for my rib." The daughter of Poseidon spat and went to pick up her dagger. Gross, now she was going to have to dip it in boiling water. Sheathing her blade, she noticed the ice in the troll's shoulder had already melted into water. _I really need to figure out the ins and outs of that bit of my powers,_ the young demigoddess thought to herself as she admired her brutal handiwork.

A sudden slamming and loud footsteps made her turn around. "Aw man." Rhode groaned, that fight no doubt got someone's attention downstairs, plus Granger probably found a teacher too. A moment later, Professor McGonagall came bursting into the room, closely followed by Snape (who was walking a little funny), with Quirrell bringing up the rear. Quirrell took one look at the dead troll, gagged, and puked in a still working toilet as the blood began to pool.

Wimp.

Snape bent over the troll. Professor McGonagall was looking right at Rhode. The Professor's face was looking a rather interesting purple and her lips were white.

Rhode idly thought she wasn't going to get any house points for troll slaying tonight, "So, how's it going?" she casually asked. A mirror fell off the wall, shattering. Oops.

"What on earth were you thinking of?" said Professor McGonagall, with cold fury in her voice. "You're lucky you weren't killed. Why aren't you in your dormitory?"

Snape gave Rhode a swift, piercing look. One she ignored. Rhode said, "What's it matter? It's dead. Problem solved." She shrugged, withholding a wince. She didn't want them knowing she was hurt.

"The problem is not _solved_ , young lady," The head of Gryffindor house said sharply, "What were you doing here?"

"Granger was in the bathroom all day." Rhode started as the girl in question ran into the bathroom.

"Ms. Granger, I told you to head back to the tower." McGonagall said in a chiding tone, making Hermione wince.

"I-I wanted to see if Rhode was okay." The young witch said. Though she looked a little queasy at the dead troll.

"I'm fine," Rhode answered with finality, "So like I said, Granger was in here and I went to get her." she said.

"S-She's right, Professor McGonagall. I, um, wasn't f-feeling well and didn't know about the troll." Granger said in a shaken voice.

"Why didn't you get a professor?" the deputy headmistress asked Rhode.

"I'm an impulsive Gryffindor." Rhode rolled her eyes, "So I went to get her. Ran into the troll, I distracted it so Granger could get away. I killed it. The end."

"How?" Snape's cold voice drawled, "How did you kill it, Potter?" His hand waving over the troll's corpse, "Clearly you used no magic. So pray tell how you managed a feat that grown wizards find difficult?"

"Well, it's bleeding from various holes in its head. Two plus two equals?" Rhode asked mockingly with her usual attitude for the man, getting a curling frown from Snape.

"Enough," Professor McGonagall cut between them, she looked at Rhode. "Well, I still say you were lucky," the demigod bristled at that, "but not many first years could have killed a full-grown mountain troll. You've earned Gryffindor twenty points for your bravery. But I'll take five for the foolishness you displayed in fighting it in the first place, Ms. Evans. Professor Dumbledore will be informed of this." Rhode just rolled her eyes, "If you're not hurt at all, you and your friend better get off to Gryffindor tower. Students are finishing the feast in their houses."

The two girls hurried out of the chamber at that dismissal and didn't speak at all until they had climbed two floors up. Thankfully it didn't smell that bad anymore, actually scratch that, Rhode smelled like a toilet. At least she wasn't dripping wet. Thank you Poseidon.

"A-Are you okay?" Granger asked, breaking the silence with a sniffle. Still shaken over the event.

"I'll live." Rhode said with a pained smile, "I'm very durable."

Granger swallowed, rubbing her puffy eyes with her drenched sleeves, "Thank you. You saved me." Her voice was very tiny, mousey almost.

Rhode shrugged, "You're bossy and annoying." She bluntly told the girl, getting a bristled look in return, "But I wasn't going to just let you die because I don't like you." She said as they had reached the portrait of the Fat Lady.

"Pig snout," they both said and entered. The common room was packed and noisy. Everyone was eating the food that had been sent up.

Lee had walked over to her, asking if she was okay. But Rhode waved it off, saying she handled it. She excused herself early from the festivities and the budding rumors of her troll slaying prowess.

Placing down her clothes to be cleaned, Rhode dipped into a warm late night bath. She winced and soon sighed as she entered the water. She went full submergence and felt her rib knitting together as the water reacted with her powers to heal. Her healing was always a weird sensation. The bruises on her stomach and back went from a blooming purple and blue to her normal tanned skin in moments as she enjoyed the foamy bubbles. She liked bubbles…even if it cemented Thalia's nickname for her.

As she rose her head out of the tub, letting it rest on the tub's headrest, she closed her eyes in thought.

Something was going on here, and it wasn't the magic. Or more accurately something was going on that was above and beyond the typical magical stuff. Rhode's demigod trouble senses were tingling.

And that was _never_ good.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Like brother like sister, the children of Poseidon rule the bathroom. Fear the flush, fear it!
> 
> Yes, Ron was not there to help because Rhode wouldn't trust some mortal kid to help her in a fight, plain and simple. I mean, she's faced worst and would definitely not want to have to watch over two people in a fight for her life.
> 
> Yes, Rhode did not fly on the broom nor did she join the quidditch team very simply because she's a child of Poseidon. So Wood will most likely be crying until he graduates, never winning the cup.
> 
> As you can tell, unlike Harry who couldn't raise his feather during charms class, Rhode can because first off, her wand is different. Dragonheart string wands learn far quicker than pheonix feather ones.
> 
> But I have been told that this is one of the rare occasions where Hermione Granger was slapped in the face...to save her life! Rhode's awesome like that.
> 
> Sieg: Y'know...I really hate legalities. Considering Rhode's position if Dumb-as-a-door were to...disappear, the problem would be solved. Snape too. I have a recurring image of water freezing into a flower of spikes, with them inside it. I'm sure Rhode could pull it off, if not then there's daddy for that. Probably why I'm not involved in politics.
> 
> Indeed, that is why you are not in politics, Sieg. And thanks once more for the beta my friend. Snape is a jerk in general, but let's leave Dumbles alone for now, at least, until next chapter. Next time on Death Battl-oh, wait, wrong show. Well, best get your Phoenix's in Order people, because we are going to Wright a wrong!
> 
> Now, please review, no flames, and peace off!


	8. Year One: I Deal With School Stuff

**Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson or Harry Potter.**

**The Unrelenting Frozen Seas: The Journey**

**Year One: I Deal With School Stuff  
**

**Beta: Siegfried01**

* * *

It was mid-December and the Christmas holidays were fast approaching, much to Rhode's relief. The mountains around the school were covered in several feet of snow and frost, sparkling brilliantly in the sun. The Black Lake had also frozen over, adding its own splendour to the beautiful landscape as it shone like a finely polished mirror in the sun. The amazing scenery, however, was not without its own costs; few owls had been able to brave the tumultuous clouds coating the sky to deliver the mail. The ones that make it through had to be tended to by that odd Hagrid fellow before they were able to fly again. All this meant that the morning delivery of mail by the owls, whilst still dramatic, was much less impressive than it had been when the weather was better. Not only were there far fewer owls each morning, but it was now not uncommon to see the odd owl arrive with bloodied feathers.

Aside from the blossoming splendour of the landscape, other things remained as dreadfully dull as the eye of a cyclops. The only exception was when when she watched McGonagall punish the Weasley twins for bewitching snowballs to pelt the back of Quirrell's turban as he walked around. Rhode had never been more amused in all her time at Hogwarts, which while not as long as the other years was substantial enough to her. A rather clever use of magic, Rhode thought. And an extremely misleading one. They had later found out that the turban had been bewitched, not the snowballs, which explained how Quirrell couldn't remove them himself and McGonagall took so long to do so. If Rhode hadn't known better, she'd have thought the Weasley twins were sons of Hermes.

Despite the enchanting winter environment though, the demigods were not letting up on their training and were doing one more training session before the holidays came and holed up in the Room of Requirement. Their official little demigod clubhouse, er, the Batcave according to Lee.

Lee was grinning as he jumped, rolled, and dodged vines coming at him from Su. It was a little game he made up, one Rhode had to admit was very fun.

Su would try to catch them with her vines as they dodged around them. Not only would it help Su gain more control of her plant powers, but it would also help her against fast opponents. For Lee and Rhode, it helped them with their evasion, flexibility, and reflexes greatly by avoiding the onslaught of vines.

"Come on, Li, try!" Lee laughed, having a blast as he cartwheeled out of the way, showing off.

Rhode rolled her eyes as she held the stopwatch, it was going past the three minute mark. After she brought it up Lee immediately called time, still laughing like a loon, as she stopped at 3:47 minutes.

"Pretty good, Li," Lee said, though he was panting a bit with some sweat on his brow, he kept his voice steady and trying to play it cool, "Still a bit stationary, got to go for some free-style kiddo. Like me." He thumbed to himself.

Su pouted before a tiny smile came on her face.

There was a crack of a whip and Lee yelped, jumping two feet into the air. He turned around, rubbing his bum, to see a vine behind him, "Did you just-?!"

Su just gave him an innocent little smile.

Lee turned to Rhode, "I think you're corrupting her." He said with a pointed glare.

Rhode shrugged, "I have no idea what you're talking about. Su's got spunk, she just needs to bring it out."

Lee, rubbing his bum, said, "Whipping my bum is not spunk…that hurts!"

"Stop your whining," Rhode said and threw the stopwatch to Lee as she moved over to the open area. She nodded to Su, who nodded back and Lee started the clock.

Two vines shot at Rhode from behind and she dodged forward, only to duck under another one in front of her, she sidestepped left to avoid a lashing. Rhode quickly jumped over the one that tried to sweep her feet and rolled to the right to continue her evasion.

Su pursed her lips, sending three more vines at Rhode from the left and two from the right. She smiled when Rhode back pedaled and went to ensnare her feet, only for a flash of bronze to cut the vines. Rhode had taken out her trident.

"Hey, no weapons!" Lee protested.

"We never said we couldn't!" Rhode grinned as she swung around the trident rapidly and more shredded vines fell, useless and limp, onto the stone tiles.

Lee clicked his tongue, resting his chin in his free palm as he sat on the floor. They didn't…smart girl.

Su frowned as she made five vines coil together and whip at Rhode, who side stepped.

However, despite successfully cutting the vine, Rhode suddenly yelped in pain. She looked at her right leg and saw that she had a few thorns in embedded into her calf. Su capitalized on her distracted gaze and wrapped up Rhode's legs, making her fall. Lee stopping the clock as Rhode hit the floor.

"Ooh, only two minutes and forty two seconds." The son of Hermes shook his head as Rhode was freed, "Nice one, Li." He praised her sneaky maneuver.

Su bowed her head with a smile as Rhode pouted, wincing at her leg.

"Seriously, did not know you could fire thorns," the daughter of Poseidon grimaced, as she started pulling them out and tossing them to the stone floor.

"Plants can be very versatile," Su insisted as she brought Rhode a cup of water to heal.

Rhode thanked her as she dumped it on her punctured leg after pulling out all seven thorns. "Still, nice one, Su." The sea child praised, getting a blushing smile from her friend.

"It wasn't that big of a deal," the daughter of Demeter said bashfully.

"And she's so modest," Lee ruffled her hair, "Isn't that cute."

Su pouted cutely at him, patting at her hair in a vain attempt to smoothen it down again.

Rhode fell onto her back, "Still, this session was good. Got my aggravation out. Gods, that Snape was a jerk today. Again." She said as rolled to her side and held up her head on her palm and elbow, "I swear he's a monster."

Lee sighed, "No, he's not. I checked." He grumbled.

"…You tried to kill a teacher?" Su gasped.

"I thought he was a monster! But sadly, no. I tried scratching him with one of my knives, went right through him." The son of Hermes pouted, remembering when he was turning in his first potions project. Guy had the nerve to say it was mediocre at best! He was acing that class and the sourpuss head of Slytherin knew it! He just wasn't happy that a Gryffindor was smoking his snakes in his subject. The Jerk.

"Guy was rambling on about that Flamel you talked about." Rhode thought aloud.

"Speaking of Flamel," Lee grinned impishly, "I figured out what's stashed on the third floor."

"What?" Su asked eagerly, ever curious.

"See, Hagrid was at Gringotts the day it was robbed." The son of Hermes pointed out.

"So I was right!" Su smiled, making Lee roll his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, anyway! He said that he had to run an errand for Dumbledore. But, he was tight lipped on it beyond that." If it was possible, Lee's smile grew larger, "He dropped the name Flamel earlier though, said he had to get an object from Gringotts, which was later robbed, and Flamel and Dumbledore are tight. What else could be there but the Philosopher Stone?"

"The what?" Rhode blinked.

"The Philosopher's Stone!" Lee said exuberantly, "That thing could turn any metal into gold and could make the Elixir of Life. You know, the liquid that could extend one's lifespan? It's just that powerful."

"Why in the world would he bring something like that here? In a school full of kids?" Rhode asked with a frown.

Lee shrugged, "Hogwarts is pretty well defended."

"Troll."

"…There are hiccups in every system." Lee added.

Rhode shook her head in disbelief. She turned her trident back to her spyglass and stood up, "I got a Charms paper to finish. See you guys later." She declared as she walked off to her common room.

"Bye Rhode." Su waved brightly, "See you on the train."

"Bye."

* * *

As Rhode trekked across the castle back towards her dorm and the waiting Charms essay, she ruminated on her time in school so far particularly her issues with the school's attempts to discipline her. The earlier conversation about Snape had reminded her about it, as the jerk was the one who doled out most of her punishments.

For the first month or so, Rhode had completely ignored the school's attempts to punish her. She didn't care one whit about the silly points they deducted for what they considered misbehaviour and when they gave her detentions she just didn't show up. When they lectured her about her need to obey the rules and take her punishments more seriously, she just tuned them out. She would have avoided these lectures too but she couldn't avoid the teachers wholesale. When she tried and they did eventually catch her, as they always did, the lectures were always worse than normal, so she'd just learned to take them to the chin.

This had gone on for some time until the teachers finally decided to take 'more drastic action'. So one day after classes had ended the Professor of her last class, McGonagall, made her stay back after class. She'd expected another lecture but instead the older witch had marched her up to the Headmaster's office to have a 'chat' with the old goat. Not that the Headmaster had anything new to say nor was he anymore willing to hear Rhode out. Oh sure, he pretended to want to hear what she had to say but in the end he just waved away all her reasons and concluded that her punishments stood. She really wished she could have stabbed his foot right then, or his face. Either or. Stupid fickle celestial bronze dagger, decided just which kinds of mortals it thought were 'important enough'. What's more, the old wizard had the gall to think up a new way to force Rhode to comply: he had Prefects escort her to her detentions.

At first, this wasn't too much of an issue as Rhode would just avoid all of them when time for her detentions came around. The Prefects not particularly enthused with doing yet another chore were more than willing to let her. But this unfortunately didn't last, as after a week of this new arrangement, the Prefects suddenly became a lot more invested in making sure she made it to detention.

When she asked them why, they angrily explained that the teachers in order to motivate them to do their new 'duty' were punishing _them_ if she failed to show up. This made Rhode feel terrible. She didn't mind taking the blame for her own rebellion but she drew the line with getting innocent bystanders implicated for her stand against the system. That's not to say she went quietly though. No, instead she devised a workaround. With Lee's help, she got her hands on a copy of the roster of which Prefects were assigned to ensure her presence at detentions each particular day, her flouting of her earlier 'punishments' having translated into detention everyday now, and spotted those Prefects who were deserving of some punishments of their own i.e. bullies.

After all, a Prefect's badge didn't mean someone was an angel, many used it merely as an excuse to abuse their new authority. Sure most of these abuses were trivial and could be overlooked, but others were outright bullying. Rhode hated bullies and so, exploiting the detention nonsense to get back at them was her killing two birds with one stone. So on the days the bullying Prefects were assigned to escort her, she just evaded them. That way she got out of a pointless detention and got to serve some bullies their just desserts! It was glorious! That doing so was also pretty good evasion training was just an added bonus.

It all got a little tedious, but Rhode was determined to continue. After all, there was no way she'd stand idly by whilst a tyrannical system that punished innocent people and allowed for so much abuse by people like Snape and those 'Prefects' such as Hogwarts' punishment regime existed. She'd break it...like a Kit-Kat bar. It was with this amusing thought running through her mind that she arrived at the Fat Lady and the homework that awaited beyond.

* * *

After cleaning up and finishing her paper, Rhode ended up heading to the Great Hall to chill out. She was supposed to be in potions class, but as was often the case she'd decided to skip it. Not as if the great bat would give a hoot either way, in fact, she figured she was doing them both a favor this way.

On the way there she thought about the various Hogwarts teachers and she'd have to say they were kind of a mixed bag. McGonagall was disappointed in her, like Rhode cared. Snape was still a massive dick. Sprout was okay, but a bit dull, on the bright side she seemed to truly care for her students. Rhode was reminded of a mother hen, she even had the build down too, now all she needed was the feathers. The only one she liked was Flitwick. He usually got her writing lines during her detentions with him, but that was not all she did. They also talked about Charms class, since it was her favorite class. The tiny teacher would indulge her and her lines were often soon forgotten in favor of talking about the subject. And any time she had to deal with Filch, she would just leave him point blank the first opportunity she got. That guy was a creeper, she just knew it. That damn cat too.

Anyway, the Great Hall looked amazing. Festoons of holly and mistletoe hung all around the walls, and no less than twelve towering Christmas trees stood around the room, some sparkling with tiny icicles, some glittering with hundreds of candles.

As she admired the decorations, she reflected on what had happened since Halloween. Since November, Granger had started to hang out with Rhode and Ron. The bookworm had become a bit more relaxed about breaking rules since Rhode had saved her from the mountain troll, and she was nicer for it. Ron was thrilled, she helped greatly with their homework. But Rhode wasn't as psyched.

She and Granger were cut from very different cloth. Rhode was an ADHD rule breaking demigod. The muggleborn witch was a bookish know-it-all mortal. Rhode could tell the girl was honestly trying, but eventually their personalities were going to clash, hard. So Rhode wasn't fully invested in the friendship, but was willing to at least give the other girl a chance.

Still, why couldn't she be more like Su? The other demigoddess was never judgmental and bossy, just very supportive. Seriously, Su ruled. Except when it came to muggle homework, she was surprisingly stern on that one.

The Quidditch season had begun around November too. So, Rhode decided to watch the first game. Also, because Lee wouldn't quit pestering her to go as he was acting commentator. She had gotten nosebleed seats in the Quidditch pitch and a pair of binoculars. Rhode, Ron, and their new tagalong were joined by Neville, Seamus, and Dean.

They had painted a large banner that said Team Gryffindor on one of the sheets Scabbers had ruined. There was a story there, but Ron was apparently too embarrased by it to tell her and shushed his dorm-mates when they tried to do so. Rhode was determined to find out what it was though. Rhode and Dean, who were good at drawing, had drawn a large Gryffindor lion underneath. Then Granger had performed a tricky little charm so that the paint flashed different colors. Rhode had eagerly asked her to teach it to her.

The daughter of Poseidon had lost interest in the match sometime in and had instead spent her remaining time during the match chatting with Dean about drawing. It was nice to know someone who understood her passion. The match was over within a half an hour. Gryffindor lost to Slytherin, much to Ron's dismay. Rhode figured it was an okay game, but she was more of a soccer gal.

Shaking her head out of those thoughts, the demigod started to contemplate what kind of gifts to get her friends back at camp.

Well, Luke was easy. Bertie Bott's Every Flavored Beans. Just seeing his reaction was going to be hilarious.

Grover was even easier. Some nice premium tin cans should get her a goaty smile from the sulking Satyr.

Annabeth, well, Rhode wanted to get her something special. With all the letters they've exchanged, maybe her own owl? Yeah! That would be a great idea. Plus, it would give Hedwig a break too.

The only question was what kind of owl. A barn owl? Maybe a snowy owl? Annabeth liked Hedwig after all.

It was then a hoot got her attention, making her jolt in surprise. She turned to her right, seeing a golden brown barn owl with sharp grey-blue eyes. It had a letter in its beak. It dropped it for Rhode to read. Confused, the daughter of Poseidon picked up the letter and began to read…it was from Annabeth.

Wait, what?!

_To Rhode,_

_Hi Rhode! Guess what? I got my own owl! He's name is Wright. I named him after Frank Lloyd Wright, the architect. See, I prayed to mommy one night, since Hedwig was always looking so tired after delivering the letters, and that's not good! So I woke up the next morning and there was this guy pecking at my window. Isn't he pretty?_

_You know how Pegasus has kids? Well, turns out my mommy's owl, Glaucus, has kids too! And she gave me one. Now we can talk way more, isn't it super-duper amazing?_

_Anyway, you're coming back soon, right? I can't wait! Luke can't either, but I think he's just trying to look cool about it, but he seems excited. We did Capture the Flag a few days ago, and Luke got the flag in like, record time! It was cool._

_You missed the best snowball fight ever yesterday, too! Jack started it with Cabin Five, but everyone joined in. Even Chiron! Though Jack dumped snow down my jacket, the meanie! I'll get him back, eventually._

_See you soon!_

_From the daughter of Athena and future architect, Annabeth Chase!_

Rhode put the letter down and looked at the owl.

The goddess of wisdom had totally jacked her Christmas gift idea!

…Point to you, Athena, point to you.

"Well, I'm sure Annabeth'll like some Chocolate frogs. Every kid loves chocolate." Rhode muttered, pouting. She gave the owl a dull glare as it pecked at her toast.

Stupid owl.

Stupider goddess.

* * *

Rhode's cheek leaned against the foggy window aboard the Hogwarts Express. It was time to head back to camp for Christmas.

Gods, she missed her friends.

Su was with her in the compartment along with Granger, who decided to join them uninvited. Neither demigoddess were in a mood to kick her out, they were going home! And so had let her stay. Ron was stuck at Hogwarts with his brothers since his parents and sister were visiting one of his older brothers out of the country.

Su and Granger were talking about classes and comparing houses. Granger was taking a keen interest on how Ravenclaw did things. Especially their libraries and Su answered the questions with ease.

Rhode heaved a sigh, drawing Granger's attention.

"What's the matter, Rhode?" she asked.

"Personal stuff."

"Want to talk about it?"

Rhode turned to her, giving Granger a look that said: No. This wasn't something she was ready to talk to even Su about, despite how close they had become, much less with Granger.

With that unwanted intrusion into her personal affairs settled, Rhode returned to her musings. She had asked Flitwick where her mother and stepfather were buried. It had been over a decade and she had yet to even see or lay flowers for them. Flitwick informed her they were buried in a place called Godric's Hollow. The town founded by one of the four founders of Hogwarts, Godric Gryffindor. There was a Floo connection to the place since it was a historical site. So, Rhode planned to go while at camp.

The daughter of Poseidon looked at the homework that Chiron assigned her. She had been doing some final touches on it. Thanks to Su she had managed to finish a good portion of it. Definitely a lot more than she would have if she had to do it all on her own. But after being distracted by her thoughts of the Potters, she had lost her focus. Sighing, she put the homework away.

Granger frowned and muttered something, but Rhode ignored it. The daughter of the sea started to hum Blue Orchid by White Stripes and some Yellowcard to help pass the time and bought some candy for Christmas from the trolley lady.

The train arrived at Platform Nine and Three Quarters within a few hours. Granger left with her parents, who the girl enthusiastically reminded her two companions were dentists. Su did the same with her father, after asking if Rhode could give her homework to Chiron. Rhode complied with her friend's wish. Lee left with his mum and step-dad. Which left Rhode alone as she made her way over to the Floo, ducking under the lip of the fireplace she sucked in a deep breath before hurling the Floo powder down, vanishing with a call of, "Camp Half-Blood!"

As soon as Rhode exited the Floo, she saw the camp and it was beautifully coated in a soft blanket of snow.

See, the camp had this ultimate magic climate control. Nothing got inside the borders unless Mr. D wanted it to. So seeing it as a winter wonderland was something of a surprise. Frost covered the strawberry fields and the volleyball pits. The cabins were decorated with tiny flickering lights, like Christmas lights, except they seemed to be balls of real fire. More lights glowed in the woods. There were bronze statues of reindeer connected to a sleigh. Gaige was arguing with her brothers about putting Gatling guns on the antlers and AA missiles on the sleigh.

Suddenly the daughter of Poseidon caught the blur of a missile in the form of a little girl.

"Rhode!" Annabeth cheered and Rhode caught her under the arms and spun around, getting Annabeth to giggle as Rhode came to a halt.

"Whoa! Bethy, almost nailed me there." She cracked a grin as Annabeth hugged her tightly around the neck.

"I missed you so much!" The little girl said with a bit of a lisp.

The daughter of Poseidon smiled and put Annabeth down. She was wearing a pink and white stripe ski cap, her nose and cheeks were red from the weather. She was bundled in a snow jacket and grey mittens. Her smile was wide and showed that she was missing a front tooth.

"Did you get taller?" Rhode asked the blonde with a teasing smile.

Annabeth stood straighter, her chin high. "I grew a whole inch!" She said with pride.

"No way?" Rhode mock awed. "Wow, you're going to be taller than me soon!"

Annabeth looked pleased at that.

"And what happen to your tooth?"

"Got hit in practice, came right out." The blonde beamed, "I got a Drachma under my pillow the next morning!"

"Lucky," Rhode pouted playfully. Rhode remembered when she got a loose tooth with Thalia around. She told the younger girl about the Tooth Fairy, but Rhode didn't believe her. Rhode had tried it when she was younger, but never got anything. Imagine her surprise when she did get a quarter after that tooth. Thalia told her the fairy's USA branch was far better than its UK counterpart. Rhode was so lost in the memory, she didn't even notice Luke until his voice jolted her out of it.

"Rhode," Luke smiled brightly. He was sporting some winter gear too, along with an orange scarf. He gave her a half-hug, one she returned, "Glad you're back."

"Glad to be back." Rhode smirked at him, her arm around Annabeth, who was smiling up at them.

* * *

Annabeth was holding Rhode's hand, chattering like a chipmunk and asking how her term was. Rhode mentioned her detentions, making Annabeth scold her. Saying that it wasn't good to get them. Rhode just told her the teachers were meanies. Luke just gave her a hidden thumbs up, making the older demigoddess smirk a little as they went to the Big House.

"Ah, Rhode, welcome back." Chiron smiled from his wheelchair. He was wearing a dark brown turtleneck with a red scarf. His beard was longer too. The trainer of heroes was sitting on the deck with the plump Mr. D, playing cards with two invisible players.

"And so the prodigal daughter returns." Mr. D drawled. His eyes were bloodshot as usual and was as cranky as a sobering addict, which he was. He was in his leopard print shirt and was sipping his infamous diet coke.

Rhode liked to think of him as the god of cola and whine. Heh, that was a good one.

"Chiron," Rhode nodded back kindly, "Mr. D." she said with little enthusiasm.

"Yes yes, blah blah." Mr. D waved off, "Now scat. I'm just about to win." The wine god said, showing his hand with a smug smirk.

Chiron gasped, "Oh my."

"Yes!"

"That is a very good hand…but mine is still sadly better." The centaur smiled, showing his own hand.

Mr. D gave Chiron a look, like he was going to vaporize him, but just grunted, "Pheh, I'm tired of playing." He stood up, "I'll be taking a nap before dinner." The god turned and walked into the Big House like a sore loser.

Chiron collected the cards and placed them back in their box. He turned to face the half-bloods, "Rhode, wonderful to see you again. How was your semester?" he asked as the campers each took a seat at the table.

Rhode shrugged, "Okay. Kinda tough, but I'm hanging on." She pulled out her homework with Su's, "Here you go…you dictator." She pouted.

"Of education? Most certainly." The centaur chortled well naturedly. "Lee usually sends his by owl, so I will grade them once I get his."

Rhode nodded and swallowed, "So, um, I was wondering if I could go somewhere today?"

Luke looked surprised as Annabeth tilted her head quizzically.

Chiron just raised a bushy eyebrow, "After having just got here? May I inquire where?"

Rhode nibbled her lip, "It's something that I want to get out of the way as quickly as possible, you know? It's a place called Godric's Hollow. My...mum and stepdad are buried there. I'd like to visit them, leave flowers. It's been over a decade." She told the trainer. Normally, Rhode would just go, but she respected Chiron. Just brushing him off like that wouldn't be cool.

Chiron made a humming sound, stroking his beard, "I wouldn't be opposed to this." He informed her, making Rhode release the breath she didn't even know she was holding. "Will you be going alone?"

Rhode looked at Annabeth and Luke, "I wouldn't mind some company." She said to her family.

"I'm in." Luke nodded.

"Me too!" Annabeth agreed instantly.

Rhode smiled prettily at that, but looked around. "Hey, where's goat boy? He's a part of this ragtag family too."

"I believe he is working at the stables." Chiron comment with pursed lips.

"Cool, I need to say hi to Flóga too." Rhode said, standing up.

Annabeth got out of her seat, "I'll go to Cabin Four, get some flowers." She said, eager to help, and dashed away.

Luke shook his head in amusement, "Always moving." He chuckled and pushed out his chair to stand up. He looked Rhode in the eyes and said, "You okay?"

No, she was going to see the graves of her mum and stepdad and was actually a little nervous. "Yeah, I'm fine." She told her friend. Luke nodded and said he'd check on Annabeth.

"Rhode," Chiron said, drawing her attention, "We do have the hearing coming up."

"Oh, right."

The centaur nodded and said, "Yes, it is set a little before New Year's. I will be preparing in the meantime. Your opinion, however, will be the most important."

"I'm picking here, no matter what." Rhode said firmly to Chiron, getting a quirked smile.

"Excellent to hear. Now go, fetch Grover, child."

Rhode nodded to Chiron and walked at a sedate pace to the stables and looked over the camp as she made her way. She could see Jack zipping around a snowball fight, waving his staff, giving more ammo to each side of a Cabin Five versus Cabin Six match. Cabin Seven were making some beautiful snow sculptures. Some of Hermes' kids were sneaking out of the camp store with candy loot up to their pointy ears. With the elfish looks they inherited from their dad they looked like a dead ringer for a Santa elf, though with their also inherited knack for trouble and thievery maybe it was safer to say that they were elves gone rogue. Cabin Four was trimming a large tree with lights and tinsel and colorful flowers. The infectious excitement filled Rhode as she smiled at the scenes.

Finally making it to the stables, Rhode could see Grover in a bulky brown jacket, shoveling out some horse droppings, complaining about why it had to be frozen.

Gross.

"Grover!" she called out, making him jump in the air. As uncoordinated as always, his cloven hoof landed in a pile of doo-doo as he regained his footing.

"Aw man." Grover cursed his luck. He turned and stepped out of the gunk, trying to smile, "Hey Rhode, welcome back."

"Yo. Clean off that hoof, you got protecting to do." The daughter of Poseidon said, stuffing her hands in Thalia's jacket pockets.

"Wha?"

Rhode nudged her head towards the campfire, "Me, Luke, and Bethy are going out into the mortal world. We need our goaty protector. So come on."

Grover snorted at that, "You need me to protect you? Okay." He rolled his eyes.

Rhode frowned and walked forward, taking his arm, "Hey, I'm going to see my mum's and stepdad's graves, okay? I want my family with me."

"Rhode, I-"

Rhode's glare cut him off, "If you say you aren't, I'll be pissed. You are a part of our group. Even if it was for only two weeks, you're one of us. So I say you're going. Got it?" she ordered sternly.

"Yes ma'am." Grover caved quickly with a visible gulp.

The daughter of Poseidon was all smiles, "Good. Clean up and meet us at the campfire." She said as she moved into the stables to spend some time with her pegasus friend, the fiery coated filly bouncing around at seeing her.

And asking for Christmas bagels.

Grover just shook his head. Rhode could be scary when she wanted to be.

* * *

The group met before the campfire. Annabeth was holding a long and thin white cardboard box. Luke was with her, wearing a strangely respectful look. One that Rhode had never thought she'd ever see gracing his face. Grover was in jeans and his fake feet to pass as a mortal. Chiron waved them goodbye as they entered the Floo network and ended up in the back of a pub in Godric's Hollow.

The wizard who was the owner greeted them warmly. Keeping her hat over her scar, Rhode went straight to business and asked for directions to the Potters' graves. The man happily pointed her to the church and even told them about the memorial at the Potters' ruined cottage. The cottage Rhode was born and raised at for the first year of her life.

The group exited the pub, seeing the village for the first time. It was a small community, which surrounded the village square with only a church, a post office, the pub, and a few retail shops. The residential streets were lined with quaint cottages, leading up to the church.

In the center of the square was a statue. At first glance, it seemed like an obelisk. But as the group got closer, it changed magically. Statues of James, Lily, and an infant Rhode, who looked contented in her mother's arms, were sitting on a bench and huddled together. The snow made it look like they had knit caps on their heads.

Rhode's jaw clenched and her hands dug deeper into her pockets.

She thought she would be upset, start to cry or something. But she only felt hollowness at seeing the statue and maybe some anger.

Annabeth, still holding the box, grabbed Rhode's arm, "Your mommy looks pretty." She said, looking up at the nice statues.

"Yeah." Was all Rhode said. She turned on the balls of her feet, heading for the cottage of the Potter family. And boy, had it seen better days.

The hedge had grown wild in the decade Rhode had been away from the ruin that was surrounded by the waist-high grass. Most of the cottage was still standing, though entirely covered in dark ivy and snow, but the right side of the top floor had been blown apart.

There was a memorial plaque next to the gate, written in gold cursive. Grover translated. The plaque explained that the cottage had been left in its ruined state and made invisible to Muggles, as a monument to the Potters and to Voldemort's downfall.

Rhode fingers traced the letters. There were numerous signatures on the sign, carved initials, little messages. After a moment, she drew her dagger and started carving.

"What are you making?" Luke asked, looking over her shoulder.

Rhode however stayed silent, her hand pressed against the sign as she dug deeper into the wood. She had changed the first "T" in Potter into a trident. On each tip, she put one letter. First "R", then "J", and finally "E".

She sheathed her dagger. "Let's go to the graves." Rhode said and marched ahead, a blank mask on her face.

"She's being really…quiet." Grover whispered to Luke as they followed her.

"She's trying to figure things out, Grover."

"I know, but I expected some, I don't know, tears?"

Luke's icy blue eyes cut to Rhode's back, "It's because she's not really sad." He said, adjusting his scarf. How was Rhode not freezing?

"Say what now?" Grover whispered with disbelief.

Luke pointed his gloved finger towards Rhode, "Unlike us, Rhode never got to know her mortal parent, Grover. Her first real family was...Thalia."

Grover made a noise in his throat, unsure of Luke's answer. They ended up at the small church with glowing stained glass windows. Rhode had gone in to ask the Reverend where the graves were. The kind old man led the group to a single grave covered in snow as it protruded from the ground.

"May God watch over you and enjoy a Merry Yule, children." The Reverend said as he bowed his head and left.

Rhode's green eyes were fixated on the grave, struggling to read its inscription: " _The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death._ " The words jumped around Rhode's head, carving into it. Annabeth padded up to Rhode, holding out the box for her, "Thanks, Bethy."

"No problem." The little blonde smiled.

Rhode opened the box where two red roses rested neatly. Her fingers gently plucked out each flower and placed them in an "X" in front of the grave. She closed the box and gave it back to Annabeth. Rhode took a deep breath.

"Hey Mum, Dad, er, James…you know what? I'll just call you James." The daughter of Poseidon said, rubbing her hat covered hair, "Darn it, I don't even know what to say here..." Agitation riveted her voice.

What could Rhode even say? Hey people I don't even remember! How's being dead? Good? That's nice.

Yeah, real swell. It was kind of annoying to know they were practically strangers to the daughter of Poseidon.

"I've been good. Well, as good as a kid living on the streets can be I guess. I go by Evans now, Mum. Sorry, James. I…just can't be a Potter." Rhode said with an edge. She couldn't go back to being Rhode Potter.

Rhode Potter was nothing more than a weakling. A wallflower, a pushover, a slave to the Dursleys.

When Rhode ran away, that weak little girl died in her forever.

Long live Rhode Evans.

"I've got a new family now. So I'm not alone anymore." Rhode said softly, looking over her shoulder, smiling at them, pulling in Annabeth. She held the daughter of Athena in front of her, hands rested on the young girl's shoulders, "This is Annabeth. A daughter of Athena. I know, right? A child of Poseidon and Athena hanging out together? The world must be ending." She laughed softly, "She's a smart little cookie though, spunky too."

"Hello." Annabeth waved a little, "Nice to meet you." She blinked and looked up at Rhode, who was smiling softly down at her. The blonde's lips tugged upwards, "I like Rhode, she's really nice."

Rhode waved Luke over, giving him a half-hug, "This is Luke. He's a crafty dude."

"It's a gift." Luke smirked down at her, getting one back.

"And he's modest." Rhode chuckled, "He needs someone to save his butt from the fire though from time to time. Good thing he has Bethy and me."

"Yeah!" Annabeth nodded.

Luke pouted at that, giving the girls a mock glare. That just made their smiles grow.

"But he's one of my best friends nonetheless." Rhode continued and looked at Grover, "Get over here goat boy." Grover did so and Rhode put her hand on his shoulder, "This guy's Grover. He's my Protector. He got me to camp, my home. Our home." She said strongly, "He's a bit of a crybaby, but he's the best damn Satyr around."

"Rhode," Grover grumbled, his face red at her words.

"It's true." The daughter of Poseidon insisted and paused, collecting herself. "And…then there…was Thalia." Rhode said, her voice heavy with emotion, her chest feeling just as heavy. "Gods, where to begin with her? Well, I wouldn't be who I am today without that one." She took a breath, "I'm sure if you could've met her, you'd have liked her too." Her vivid green eyes started to leak against her will, "She helped me be strong. She taught me so much. She saved me from the stupid stuff I would do." She laughed, the tears falling freely, "She's my best friend, my sister, I just, I-I love her so much."

Luke gained a sad look along with Annabeth, who squeezed her tiny mitten-clad hand in Rhode's bare one. The daughter of Poseidon squeezed lightly back in kind.

Rhode knelt down on one knee in front of the grave. She placed her bare hand on the cool stone. "A part of me wishes…I could have met you." Her tone hollowed out, as if all the emotion had drained out of her, "But, I don't even know you. I, I have to move forward with my new family. My past as a Potter, it's just a memory that I want to die."

Her entire posture suddenly changed as she continued. "And you know what? That's your fault! It was your fault, the both of you! I had to suffer all the bullshit! First, you get yourselves killed! Seriously!? Fighting in a war when you had a baby to take care of?" she demanded, the volume of her voice rising as her anger boiled over, "That's beyond stupid! And even if I was some unplanned surprise or whatever, why the hell didn't you flee the frickin country after I was born?! Was my safety unimportant to you?" she continued to rant as her tears grew angry, staining her face. They slowly solidified into trickles of ice, sticking to her cheek, but it didn't bother her at all.

Around Rhode, her friends could only watch in stupefied awe even as kept going as she stood up. "And then you had the gall to trust my guardianship to Albus dumbass Dumbledore!? The idiot sent me to the Dursleys! Where I was treated like a frickin slave!" she stomped her foot, throwing a fit, one punctuated by the earth shaking slightly, as if in sympathy with her feelings, "Did you not know what those people were like? Or were you idiots?" her voice tightened, hoarse from her shouting as she trailed off, panting.

Catching her breath again, she continued with a sigh, "You know what? I don't care anymore. Like I said, the past is behind me and I don't want to look back. So, I'm sorry." She said half-heartedly, "Thank you, for what you've done. For what you've sacrificed. I promise I'll honor the chance you gave me. The chance to live. And I'll live it the best way I can. My way. Which you guys aren't a part of." The child of the sea said firmly, her lips formed into a thin line, roughly banishing her icy tears with her sleeve.

"This is probably the only time I'll come here. The past is the past, and I want to enter the next chapter of my life." Rhode reaffirmed.

Barely collecting herself, Rhode turned to her family.

"Let's go back home, guys." She said, giving them a tired look, her shoulders feeling just a little lighter.

The guys nodded and turned to walk away along with Rhode. Annabeth, however, lagged behind.

The daughter of Athena approached the grave and patted it, "I'll look out for Rhode, I promise."

"Annabeth, come on!"

Annabeth jumped, "Coming Luke!" she cried back and turned to the grave, "It was nice to meeting you." The young girl dashed after her family, once more taking Rhode's hand tightly in her little mitten clad one.

* * *

It was December twenty second.

The early morning cold nipped at the air. Rhode was dressed in just her pajama pants, boots, CHB tee-shirt, her beanie, and Thalia's jacket. The cold air not bothering her all that much as usual.

With hands deep in pockets, Rhode looked up at the pine tree that was her friend with broken sea glass eyes.

"Happy birthday, Thals…" She walked closer and rested her head against the cold rough bark. "I met my parents the other day. The mortal ones." Rhode added with a sad smile. "It was…I don't know, but it felt good to pay my respects and move on. I wish you could've gone with me."

The crunching of snow drew her attention and in her peripheral vision, she saw Luke wrapped up in a coat.

"Morning, Rhode."

"Hey, Luke. Heh, been a year now, huh?" Rhode said fondly since they first met in Charleston.

Luke gave her a sad smile, "Yeah, it has." He looked up the tree, his jaw was tight.

The two half-bloods basked in the silence as a wind swept by, swirling snow into the air.

"…How are you holding up?" Rhode asked the blond. They'd hardly had time to just talk alone.

Luke shrugged, "I'm doing good. Been training a lot and learning new skills."

Rhode frowned and turned to face him, "You know what I mean, Skywalker."

"No, I don't."

Rhode scowled, "Don't play dumb. I thought blonds hated that stereotype."

Luke turned to her, "I'm fine. But I could ask you the same question, Rhode."

The daughter of Poseidon grunted at that, turning to face the tree and avoid his eyes. "Your birthday's coming up."

"Yep." Luke nodded, seemingly thankful for the change of subject, "The first of January."

"New beginnings and all that."

"Pretty much."

"…You want anything?" Rhode asked him curiously.

Luke hummed, cocking his head to the side in thought, "Nah, I got what I need. Though I wouldn't be opposed to a pair of socks."

"Socks?" Rhode raised a brow in disbelief, a laugh escaping her lips.

"Hey," Luke said with a mock serious voice, pointing a finger at her, "First, not all of us can take the cold like you. Second, a pair of socks saved my life once."

"Riiight."

"They did!"

"Uh-huh." Rhode nodded, clearly humoring him. She laughed a little and turned around, walking down the hill. "See you at breakfast, Sock Boy."

"Ha-ha." Luke rolled his eyes as she left. He looked at the tree once more with saddened eyes. "Hey, Thalia…happy birthday." He whispered, "…I miss you."

* * *

A few days before Christmas, Rhode had to go to Manhattan with Chiron and Argus, the head of security at the camp, for a medical exam. Argus looked like a typical blond surfer dude, with the exception that he has a hundred blue eyes all over his body. The trainer said had said that she had to get a legal medical file for the hearing.

Christmas Eve was pretty good, everyone joined at the campfire, singing songs. Carols, the Hokey Pokey, the Macarena, etc. People were holding goblets of hot cocoa and their fingers were sticky from s'mores.

This was the loudest Christmas Rhode had ever had...and she was loving it. The fireballs around the camp would dance around and people were telling stories to one another.

It turned out to be Jack's birthday, so everyone sang for the boy. It was just that fun of a mood as the campfire was burning strong from the cheer.

Rhode gave Jack some birthday punches, just for his birthday's sake and for dumping snow down Annabeth's jacket.

The young blonde was pleased by this. Jack's bruised shoulder? Less so.

After a peaceful night of sleep, Christmas morning was upon the camp. Everyone was hanging out, exchanging presents and just chatting.

Rhode's little family was no exception. Luke was first to give Rhode her gift, a small plain cardboard box. Opening it, her eyes went wide, "How did you even get this?" she exclaimed looking over the digital camera. It was a Canon S110.

Luke winked, "I have my ways."

"No, seriously, how'd you get it?" Rhode asked once more.

"Secret."

"…Fine." The daughter of the sea pouted, but soon grinned, "Man, this thing rocks. Too bad that Hogwarts is like an anti-tech zone. But still, this'll be great for summer. Thanks, Luke." She said with a beaming smile as Luke returned it readily.

"Me next, me next!" Annabeth said in her Santa cap and gave her own small box. Rhode smiled and opened it, revealing A Word A Day calendar in ancient Greek. She gave Annabeth an amused look.

"Vocabulary is important." The daughter of wisdom nodded.

"I'll take your word for it," Rhode gave her a half-hug, "Still, thanks, Bethy."

Annabeth just looked up at her with a smile.

It was Grover's turn.

"I already did my gift." The satyr said.

"And that is?" Rhode ask curiously.

Grover gave her a deadpanned expression, "I've been cleaning up Flóga's 'presents'…they are not fun."

"…Thank you?"

"Darn right." Grover huffed.

To apologize, Rhode gave Grover his gift, getting a smile from him.

"Canned nuts!" he cheered, eating the whole can and ribbon in a few bites, getting aluminum flakes on his shirt.

Rhode next tossed a bag to Luke, who caught it. He read the label, Bertie Bott's Every Flavored Beans, "Heh," the blond laughed, "That sounds cool." He said and opened it, Rhode suppressed a smile.

He grabbed a 'lime' flavored one and popped it in…in a second he spat it out, "Ugh!" he cried out, grabbing some snow and brushing his tongue with it, "What was that?" he asked Rhode.

"Hm, booger flavor, I guess."

Luke's eyes widened, "B-Booger?" he choked.

"When it says every flavor, it means every flavor." The daughter of Poseidon offered a teasing smile.

"…You are evil." The son of Hermes confirmed.

"Nah, but now you can test the rest on your cabin." She suggested with humor, getting a thoughtful look from Luke.

"Huh, I like that." The blond boy rubbed his chin.

"And next…" Rhode said and saw Annabeth looking at Rhode's last box, shaking it.

Rhode pulled the Santa cap over Annabeth's eyes, getting the blonde to whine as Luke snickered along with Grover.

"No peeking, Bethy." Rhode mock scolded as she took the box back.

"I wasn't peeking!"

"Uh-huh." Rhode said grabbing a box as Annabeth adjusted her hat to see. Her older friend presented the box to her a moment later. The child's face lit up and she ripped open the paper into shreds. The revealed box was a shoebox and when opened, they were small pentagram cases inside. "Chocolate…frogs?" Annabeth cocked her head to the right. "They're not real frogs, are they?" she said, giving Rhode a suspicious look.

"No, just shaped like them." Rhode said with a small knowing smile.

Annabeth hummed and took one of the cases and opened it, "Wow!" she said, "It looks just like one! Huh?" she blinked as the frog twitched and hopped right onto Annabeth's face, "Ah!" she squeaked and fell on her back and the frog started hopping away.

The plucky blonde blinked owlishly and got up, "No, come back froggy!" she said, chasing after it.

"Please tell me you are getting this?" Luke asked Rhode as Annabeth tripped, her snow covered face puffing up and she drew her dagger, declaring righteous war on the cocoa amphibian. Rhode turned on her new camera and went to movie mode, recording Annabeth give chase to the chocolate frog.

"Oh yeah."

"We're holding this over her for a while, aren't we?"

"Forever, Skywalker."

After a thirty second chase, Annabeth marched back with chocolate on her lips, "The enemy has been vanquished." Her grey eyes narrowed, "In my belly."

Rhode just took her picture, "Nice job, Bethy." She praised with a snicker. Annabeth sat next to her, looking at the other covered frogs.

"I'm going to have to open them in an enclosed space." The child said thoughtfully.

"There's that Athena wisdom." Grover laughed as Annabeth covered her box of 'villainous' chocolate.

The rest of the gifts were handed out. Luke got A Word A Day calendar; it was a two for one sale at the Camp Store. Luke gave Annabeth a book on buildings, which she gushed over. It came with stickers too. The blonds had also given cans to Grover.

"Why do I keep getting cans?"

Rhode raised a brow, "You don't want them?"

"I never said that." Grover declared and ate them in goaty bliss.

The group just hung out the rest of the morning until Atlanta said that Chiron was looking for Rhode.

* * *

"I have to change my clothes?" Rhode asked Chiron as she was sitting in the Big House, discussing her custody hearing that was in two days.

"Well, you certainly can't go looking like a hobo." Mr. D said, reading his wine magazine.

Rhode looked down at what she was wearing. A beaten up Green Day shirt, worn jeans, scuffed up sneakers, and Thalia's battered jacket. Adjusting the beanie on her head, her brow furrowed, not seeing what was wrong with her outfit.

"Thank you, Mr. D." Chiron said dryly.

"Anytime." The wine god nodded, turning a page.

Chiron cleared his throat, "Yes, well, I've asked Cabin Ten to assist with this." The centaur said, "Please head over there before the day ends."

"…Seriously?" Rhode asked.

"Yes."

"…Really?"

"Rhode," Chiron sighed, "It will help with your situation."

Rhode gave a broody pout, "Fine." She said, "Might as well get this over with." Stuffing her hands in her pockets, she marched out of the Big House to meet her fate with the valor of the Spartans of old.

"Brat." Mr. D scoffed when the door closed.

"Oh?" Chiron raised a bushy brow, "And if someone decided to take your exotic feline printed shirts?"

"…Shut up." Dionysus replied childishly, burying his face in his magazine.

Chiron's lip quirked upward, his beard twitching merrily.

* * *

Rhode chewed her lip as she looked at the Aphrodite cabin.

It had a painted roof, with pillars and a blue-and-white checkerboard deck with steps and gray walls. It was usually filled with beautiful girls with designer clothing and very good-looking boys. But since it was winter, it had less kids in it like most cabins. To Rhode, it looked like some Barbie House gone life-size with a pink door, lace curtains, and potted carnations by the windows.

She walked up the deck and rapped her knuckles against the door. As she waited, Rhode idly wondered whether or not the gods were trying to tell her something with the color. Satan lay inside, or something? It'd make sense considering their color scheme.

"Yes?" an angelic voice asked as an older girl opened the door, "Oh! You must be Rhode." She smiled glamorously. She looked like a model. Her hair was a silky golden blonde in a bouncy bob cut that reached her jawline, glimmering sapphire blue eyes, and her face was rounded with a cleft chin. She was in a CHB shirt and jeans, but made it look like something off a runway. She held out a well-manicured hand, "Emily Raines, co-head counselor of Cabin Ten." She introduced herself in a chipper attitude.

"Um, Rhode Evans." She said back and shook her hand, which was very soft, "Don't think we've met. Wait, co-head counselor?" the daughter of Poseidon blinked.

Emily nodded with a beaming smile, "I run the cabin with my twin, Ethan. Oh, how rude of me. Please, come in." she said, ushering Rhode in.

As soon as she entered, Rhode's nostrils burned of perfume, making her cough a bit. Rubbing her eyes, she saw the burning color of pink on the walls with white window trim. The curtains and beds were pastel blue and green. Each bed had a hope chest with names painted on them.

"Everyone," Emily said, "Say hello to Rhode." She instructed nicely.

"Hi Rhode." The few boys and girls chorused. The children of the love goddess were either chatting between themselves, reading magazines, or gushing over their Christmas gifts.

"This the one Chiron wanted us to do that makeover for?" An older boy asked, as he made his way over to the two girls by the door. He looked a lot like Emily. Same round face, same cleft chin, sharp sapphire blue eyes, but his golden blond hair was short and gelled up in a messy spiky fashion, but still looked good and gave off this cool guy vibe. Rhode figured him to be Ethan. She looked at his hands, he was holding a sketch pad and pencil.

The entire cabin perked up at the word 'Makeover', eyes locked onto the daughter of Poseidon. She had the distinct impression she had been dunked in fish guts and thrown to the sharks.

Emily clapped her hands once, "Yes she is. Rhode has to go to a legal matter, so we have to get her looking nice." She explained, "Think we can help?" She asked her siblings with her hands on her hips.

The cabin affirmed with nods all around.

Emily pumped her fist, "Let's get to work people!" she cheered, her younger siblings cheering in agreement.

Ethan just stayed quiet, drawing...something.

Rhode gulped, why were their eyes gleaming like that?

 _Daddy, help!_ Rhode cried in her mind as she was dragged towards her fashionable doom.

* * *

It was a bit surreal for Rhode. The only person she ever talked fashion with was Thalia. They usually had to dress practical. Light, mobile, and something to allow them to blend into a crowd. Heck, they didn't really know about a lot of girly stuff in general. Make-up? Nope. Giggling at boys? Gross! Other girly stuff? No dice.

The few guys in the cabin stayed out of the many girls' way. There was a pulley curtain attached to the ceiling so Rhode had privacy to change. Emily led the Crusade for the outfits. So far they had gone through about ten of them. It was either too cutesy, too girly, or just too pink for Rhode's tastes.

She had to get rid of her undershirt for most of the clothes and Emily gently asked if she started bra training. Rhode had honestly no idea what she was talking about, leading the female co-head of the cabin to give her a five minute talk about training bras since Rhode was 'developing'. She felt embarrassed about it, since she knew nothing about that type of thing. Emily told her that it was perfectly okay and got a few training bras from the camp store, which she worked at, in an assortment of colors for Rhode.

Rhode had to admit, Emily was very nice. She thought some of the Aphrodite kids would be snobby, since Thalia usually said that popular kids, which these kids seemed like, were like that. She had seen it when she went school in Britain too. But they were just nice, albeit good looking, kids like any other camper. Of course some gave off a snobbish vibe too. Still, she couldn't deny they knew their stuff, even if it was a little too...pink for her tastes.

Either way, that didn't stop Rhode from feeling grumpy as they treated her like a glorified Barbie doll.

Rhode's eye twitched as she looked into the body mirror at her latest outfit.

"I look like I came out of the forties!" Rhode complained. She was in a periwinkle dress. Periwinkle! It went to her knees and went well with the white stockings and nice black dress shoes she also wore. All of this was topped off by a black ribbon under the collar. She looked proper…too proper!

"Sixties." Ethan corrected from behind his sketch book.

"Whatever! Where's my golden ticket so I can go to the chocolate factory?" Rhode said with snark.

Emily broke out into giggles, making Rhode look at her, "Sorry, sorry." The pretty blonde stifled her amusement, "It's just, our dad runs a chocolate factory, so, its-!" she broke out into a new set of giggles.

Ethan sighed and got out of his bed, "Okay, I think you've had your fun, girls." He said in a bored tone.

"Fun?" The daughter of Poseidon frowned.

Ethan shook his head, "They're just going for cute things and such for you." He flipped his sketch pad over, showing a very detailed picture of Rhode in a fashionable outfit…that she didn't disapprove of. "You have your own tastes, tomboyish obviously. So you need to feel comfortable with that style, but we still need it to look fashionable."

Emily leaned in, her eyes narrowed as she scanned the sketch. She then stood erect, beaming at her brother, "As expected of my dearest twin. You know your stuff better than even us!"

"Huh?"

Emily twirled around to face the daughter of Poseidon, her right hand holding up her left elbow. Her left finger pointing up, "Ethan here wants to go into fashion and is brilliant at making outfits. When it comes to fashion, you can consider him a super son of Aphrodite!"

"Can you not call me something so lame sounding?" Ethan asked with an insufferable sigh.

"L-Lame?!" Emily looked shocked, perhaps a tad over dramatic in Rhode's opinion, "Brother, your words are like a dagger to my maiden heart!"

Ethan just gave her a solid blink.

Emily pouted and crossed her arms, "Pitee." She huffed.

Ethan rolled his eyes, "Samun."

"It's their own twin language." A son of Aphrodite whispered to Rhode, who thought the twins were just speaking gibberish. So twins had their own language? Weird.

The other Aphrodite kids were admiring the picture, nodding to one another. Ethan, in the meantime, went to a closet, there was more than one, and got out some clothes.

After a few minutes he came out with a pile of clothes and went to hand them. It was then one of his little sister's spoke up.

"Oh, um, I ripped that shirt by accident, Ethan." She meekly admitted.

Ethan's blue eyes cut to her, making the girl look down. The boy sighed, "Why didn't you say anything, Megan?"

"I forgot?"

Ethan just sighed again, "Where?"

"Left sleeve, under the forearm."

Ethan placed most of the clothes down. With the shirt in hand, he moved over to a cabinet, ran his finger up the drawers and pulled one open. Inside the drawer were spools of green thread in varying shades, each shade attached to a separate wheel. He scanned the sleeve over the numerous shades. He grabbed a sewing needle after finding the color and with a twitch of his pinkie, the thread came to life and looped itself in the needle's eye. His hand blurred as he fixed the hole in seconds, making it look like there was no damage to it in the first place. He walked over and handed it to Rhode, "Here you go, try these on." He instructed with a small smile.

Rhode gave a small nod, "Thanks." She said and changed.

Moments later, Rhode pulled away the curtain, getting many approving whispers.

She was in a pair of black capris that stopped at the middle of her shin. She donned stylish black boots with two gold buckles on the sides. They went up the rest of her leg where the capris stopped, but also had combat boot-like soles, excellent for running. Around her waist was a short black skirt. Normally, she'd not wear them, but with the capris on, she didn't have to worry it would reveal anything and it didn't restrict her leg movements. Holding it up was a black belt with a gold belt buckle with the word Prada on it. Finally, she had on a cowl-turtleneck sweater of a dark green shade, that seemed to make her eyes pop and worked with her short hair, even if it was streaked red in the bangs.

Rhode shifted over to the body mirror and was stunned for a moment, almost not recognizing herself.

Emily walked over and Rhode could see her smile in the mirror, "You look very pretty, Rhode."

The daughter of Poseidon mutely nodded. She kept staring at herself and had to say, she didn't dislike the outfit, it looked fashionable, but still felt functional to fight in and was to her tastes. This, at last, was something she'd be comfortable wearing.

Ethan walked over to her other side and said, "Normally I'd add a brooch and a necklace, but that kind of jewelry isn't to your taste I figured." He ran a hand through his hair. He scanned the pants she was wearing, "It's a size too big." He said and waved his hand, the pants shrunk and fit Rhode perfectly now. "There, hope you like it." He said and made way back to his bed, going back to his sketch book.

"Hope you like it." Emily mimicked her brother's tone, "Geez, trying to play it cool, huh, Ethan?"

"Shut up." The boy mumbled with irritation, but you could hear it was half-hearted at best.

Emily just giggled and was about tell Rhode something, but an argument cut her off. Rhode turned to see two younger kids, maybe around Annabeth's age, arguing over some candy.

Emily moved over to them, "Tammy, Chris, there's plenty of chocolate for everyone." She gently said.

"But I want that one!" Tammy whined.

"It's mine!" Chris said as Emily tried to resolve the situation peacefully.

Ethan on the other hand looked annoyed.

"Tammy, Chris, shut up and sit down." His voice carried weight, making Rhode think she should almost sit down too.

The two kids did as told with their hands in their laps, a glazed look in their eyes.

Ethan's annoyed look turned into a scowl, "Dammit." He said and reached out for his hope chest, pulling out some headphones and a CD player. Putting them on, he muted out the rest of the cabin as they whispered something about charmspeak.

"Well," Emily said with a forced smile, "Rhode, I hope you enjoy the outfit. You can keep it if you want or return it after you're done with it." She explained and gently led Rhode out, after giving back her old clothes.

"What was that about?" Rhode asked as they walked down the steps of the cabin.

Emily nibbled her lip, looking thoughtful, "Let's just say that Ethan has a rare gift from our mother and he's not very thrilled with it." She explained, "Good luck with your legal affair, Rhode. Best of luck." She said with a pleasant smile and skipped back into her cabin.

Rhode hefted the clothes in her arm and headed back to Cabin Three, wondering what she just had witnessed.

* * *

The day had finally arrived, it was time for Rhode's custody hearing. Or more accurately the hearing where testimony was going to be given. According to Chiron, the whole thing was too complicated to be settled in one sitting of the court, but witnesses were only expected to testify today and the rest of the legal stuff would be settled between the court and the lawyers.

Getting dressed in her new clothes, Rhode threw on Thalia's jacket and put on her beanie. She'd have to take them off for court of course, but taking them along, especially the jacket, was a small comfort that Thalia would be with her in a way.

Chiron was looking rather dapper. A tanned blazer, a silk white business shirt with gold cufflinks, a killer looking gold Rolex, and a satin red tie with a gold tie ring. His hair was pushed back and his beard was as epic as usual. And with his wheelchair, the fake legs wore matching pants to the blazer, he had a briefcase on his 'lap' and was set to go to court.

Annabeth and Luke saw them off as they entered the campfire and went to the Ministry of Magic in Great Britain.

As they exited the Floo Rhode looked around, trying her damndest to drink everything in. The wall the fireplace was connected to to was paneled in some kind of shiny polished dark wood and had a long row of gilded fireplaces connected to it, many of which, other people kept whooshing out of. Soaking everything in, Rhode noticed that the floor tiled with finely polished hardwood.

Above them the peacock-blue ceiling shone with inlaid golden symbols that continuously undulated, changing rapidly like some heavenly notice board. The wall opposite them was lined with more fireplaces in which a short queue of magicals were waiting in front of, each one looking to depart the hall.

"Not that impressive." Rhode scoffed under her breath, getting an amused look from Chiron.

"Oh, I agree. Olympus is far better."

Rhode blinked and looked at the trainer, "You know, I don't even know where it is. It moved due to Western Civilization, right?" she asked, having hears about the concept of the Heart of the West a few times at camp and how it meant the mythical sites of ancient Greece had moved to the US.

Western Civilization is the metaphysical force which moves with the flow of civilization. It's the pure essence of mankind's culture and connects together everything that constitutes humanity's collective spirit and civilization. Some in the know call it the flame, the force that moves with the center of human prosperity and influence, and was originally founded in Greece and soon made its merry way to the good old U.S. of A.

The Olympians are super tight with Western Civilization as they are both its source and its embodiment. Since the rise of Greece, when the gods resided on the actual Mount Olympus, their home bounces around to correspond with the epicenter of human society. This connection resulted in a profound effect on the gods and mortal civilization.

Should Western Civilization decline, the gods would be severely weakened, and if the Olympian order was overthrown, then human civilization would unravel at the seams, degenerating into chaos.

You know, just another Manic Monday.

Chiron gave a praising nod, "Indeed. Olympus actually floats above the Empire State Building on the six hundred floor."

"Whoa." Rhode blinked, "We're really close to it, huh?"

"Of course we'd be. It's always been this way." Chiron said as he pinned a bronze button to the lapel of his blazer, it had three gold letters on it, DYG. He then handed one to her.

"Uh, what's this?" Rhode asked, examining the pin before her eyes, turning it around between her fingers.

"Our cover," Chiron explained, "The Delphi Youth Group."

"…I thought the camp was the Delphi Strawberry Service?" Rhode asked, pinning the object onto her shirt.

"Oh, it is. But we have different aliases to use at our discretion. Now is such a time." The centaur said as a voice drew his attention, cutting off their conversation.

"Mr. Brunner?" A man walking up to them asked. He was tall, easily six feet. He wore a black business suit. He had cropped blond hair with green eyes. Also, his accent was clearly not British like practically everyone else in the lobby.

"Yes." Chiron said, soon smiling, holding out his hand, "I take they sent you, mister?"

"Smith. Mr. Smith." Mr. Smith said and shook the offered hand, "Yes, the American MoM sent me as an observer for the hearing. After all, we just want what's in the best interest for Ms. Evans here. We can't have any miscarriage of justice for an American citizen."

"Huh?" Rhode said, since when did she become an American citizen? Last she checked, she snuck into the US, or was pushed overboard to be precise. She turned to Chiron, who had a twinkle in his eyes. Okay, it was official, Chiron was best pony. Ever.

"Shall we proceed on?" Mr. Smith asked. Chiron nodded as Rhode gave a smaller one and they headed through the lobby and saw a fountain. The fountain featured golden statues of a wizard, a witch, a centaur, a goblin, and some other short...thing with floppy ears, all which spouted water from various locales into the pool of water below.

"We're currently on Level Eight, we have to head towards Level Two." Mr. Smith said as he fixed his blue tie.

They went to some kind of lift and went down further into the building. They made it to a hallway and proceed down it. Walking through a set of doors, Rhode looked around the large circular room. There were raised benches with witches and wizards on it. Some fat, some tall, others short, some had looks of curiosity and others looked mildly bored. The way the room looked, it felt like it was supposed to be intimidating to those participating in the proceedings, to make them feel like they were somehow the bad guys.

Rhode unconsciously rubbed the pearl under her shirt, trying to calm her nerves.

A few of the magicals stood out to her. A large portly man standing on a vast podium. A stern looking woman with a monocle. And some freaky toad looking thing. They let monsters in here? Well, at least her trident was in her pocket if she needed it.

Rhode glanced to the side where, behind a great wooden desk, sat the old goat Albus Dumbledore himself, dressed in his purple robes.

"Welcome." The portly man said. "I am Cornelius Fudge, Minister of Magic. Please, take a seat." He gestured to the empty desk. "And greetings to our American friends." He said to Mr. Smith, who just inclined his head and walked to one of the observing chairs with a stoic look.

Rhode gave a snorting giggle at the man's name. Wow, someone must've been picked on in school.

Chiron and Rhode moved to the desk. Rhode took off Thalia's jacket and her beanie, hanging them on one of the chairs. Chiron placed his briefcase on the desk, his face giving away nothing. No wonder he keeps beating Mr. D at cards, that was one heck of a poker face.

The hearing soon began, Dumbledore declaring his argument against Rhode's current living arrangements and such. Chiron disputed his points, referring to how Dumbledore botched Rhode's first residence. They argued back and forth for a while, occasionally stopping to answer questions posed by members of the court.

Rhode? Well, she was having trouble not falling asleep so she just tuned most of it out.

Fudge's voice got her attention when he said they would start hearing the testimonies now.

Dumbledore asked to call upon his first witness. What was this? Law and Order?

"I would like Ms. Evans to take the stand, your honor." Dumbledore said, making Rhode look surprised. Say what now?! She sent Chiron a nervous look, but he gave her a reassuring smile.

"Just speak the truth, my dear." The centaur murmured under his breath.

"Right." Rhode grunted and stood up, walking over to the witness box. She sat down and Dumbledore was in front of her. She had to hold back her urge to punch him.

"Hello, Ms. Evans." He greeted.

"Ask what you want." She said gruffly, not in the mood to play nice. Some of the people whispered at that, but she could care less.

"Very well," Dumbledore nodded. "Let's start simple. Tell me, how are you faring thus far in Hogwarts?"

Rhode raised a brow, "Okay, I guess. It's a little hard, but I'm getting along."

"Would you say you have difficulties adjusting to wizarding culture?"

Rhode frowned, "It's…different I guess. I mean, it's not overly wow to me."

"And why not? Certainly a culture of magic holds intrigue for a child of your age." The silver haired man asked, getting a snort from Rhode.

"Yeah, not really. I mean, sure, flying on brooms and moving chess pieces, great." She spun her finger in the air, "To me, it's just there. In the background kind of thing. I don't really see what the big deal is about it."

Rapid whispers broke out at that. Geez, what were they? Gossiping school girls?

"Have you ever seen a Quidditch match before coming to Hogwarts?"

"Well, no, it wasn-" Rhode started, but Dumbledore cut her off.

"Have you not tried to interact with any traditions of the wizarding world?"

"No," Rhode blinked rapidly, "I don't se-"

"Do you know anything of your heritage?" Dumbledore pressed on, aggravating the daughter of Poseidon as she answered.

"I guess so." she cryptically answered.

Dumbledore frowned and added, "For reference, I am referring to your Potter heritage."

"Nope." Rhode said, popping the "P", "I'm not a Potter, I go by Evans now." She declared proudly.

Scandalized murmurs broke out, which added to the irritation of the daughter of Poseidon. Dumbledore's sad and pitying look was not improving her mood either.

"Rejecting your heritage, how foolish. How sad." He heaved a heavy sigh, looking even more old. If that was possible.

Before Rhode could even rebut, Dumbledore said, "I am done with the witness for now." Rhode just shot him a seething look.

Standing up, Rhode marched to her seat, crossing her arms, sending a dirty look Dumbledore's way.

"I would like to call one of my prospective guardians, Arthur Weasley." The headmaster said as more whispers broke out.

To Rhode, some were ridicule, others amusement, and lastly distaste.

An older looking Ron who'd seen better days walked up to the stand in battered robes. He greeted the court and Dumbledore proceed to question him.

"Mr. Weasley, you are a family man, correct?"

Arthur gave a solid nod, "Without a doubt, sir."

Dumbledore smiled, "Tell us, how well would you care for young Rhode?"

The response really rattled Rhode's cage.

Arthur was all smiles, his words kind and thoughtful, "Oh, we'd treat her like one of our own. I know the Potter's had a long history, all old and noble families do. We'd do our very best to teach it all to her. And as for the rest? Well, it might take some time, but I'm sure she'd grow to love our culture. Hasn't done us wrong so far." He said.

Rhode's sea green eyes were a whirlpool of harsh emotions. She turned to have a hushed conversation with Chiron.

"The heck was that about?" she hissed. "The guy kept stopping me from answering and now this one just keeps spouting about things I don't give a damn about?" she gave a small gesture to the head of the Weasley clan.

"I know." Chiron said, but had that twinkle in his eye, "Do not distress, Rhode. In battle, opposition will always do something unlikely. One must remain calm and alert. The tide of battle can turn at any moment after all."

"…But we're in court." Rhode pointed out.

"The concept holds truth here nonetheless, my dear." Chiron answered as he listened to all that Dumbledore had to say. He'd admit, the mortal was decent at best, but he was no lawyer.

Mr. Weasley was just about to leave the stand when a cool voice called out from the stands, "And how, pray tell, would you finance the raising of the child, Weasley? Merlin knows you can barely scrape by as is."

Rhode looked up at the stands to see who spoke. He was a tall slender man. With his long pale blond hair, she almost mistook him for a woman. In fact, he looked like an older, and just as girly, version of Malfoy.

"Lucius." Mr. Weasley frowned, his eyes narrowed.

"He does raise a good point, Mr. Weasley," Fudge said, "Please answer the question."

Collecting himself, the ginger man said, "We'd be a little stretched taking care of another child, but we'll manage. We always have. What's more, Rhode's trust will be able to cover anything we can't."

"Oh?" the girly man raised a thin eyebrow, "Milking off a child now, Weasley?"

"You-!" Mr. Weasley said heatedly, but Dumbledore quickly intervened.

"Arthur," he said calmingly as he gestured for the man to return to his seat, "I am done with my witness." He claimed as Mr. Weasley went to sit.

Chiron wheeled forward with his war face on, "I would like to bring Ms. Evans back to the stand." he started off smoothly. Rhode obliged with the request and sat on the stand, "Hello, Rhode." He greeted kindly.

Rhode gave him a smile, "Hi, Chiron." It was a radical difference to how Dumbledore's questioning started. Something not unnoticed by those in the stands.

Hands folded on his fake lap, Chiron asked, "Tell me, Rhode, how do you feel on your current arrangement? With your current family?"

"I like it." Rhode said with a small smile.

"Can you elaborate?"

Rhode looked pensive for a moment, "I…For a long time, I never felt I belonged. When I ran away, I was always moving. Then…I met my friends." She looked at the jacket on her chair, her heart ached but she steeled herself, "Without them, I wouldn't be who I am now. Without them, I, I don't know what would have happened to me. But being with them right now…it's my greatest joy. I treasure them the most and I would never want to loss that treasure." She finished softly.

Chiron gained a small smile, "I see. That's wonderful to hear. Now, tell me, how do you feel about learning the traditions of your heritage?"

"It's a bit rough at first. I mean, while on my own, I learned...as much as I could about the basics...But at home, I'm exploring more of it, heh." A smile etched across her lips again, "It's fun."

Chiron looked to those in the stands, "Rhode and her friends had only recently come under my care." He explained, "And thus just learning the ropes of what I teach many of my wards. But they have made great progress, as I shall demonstrate." Turning back to Rhode, Chiron asked: "Rhode could you share with us some of the things you've learned about your traditions since you came under my care?"

Rhode caught on easily enough, it was pretty easy to see what he wanted her to say and what the court expected to hear. So she gave them what they wanted.

"Umm... I'm still pretty unclear about a lot of things, but here goes. Halloween is the day for Samhain," she started off from memory. Thank the gods for flash cards. "It was one of the biggest divination days, mainly using nuts and apples. It was the day Diviners would give their predictions for the coming year at sunset of the thirty first to the sunset of November first." Rhode detailed.

After a small breath, the daughter of Poseidon continued, "And how Yule corresponds with the old days of the Wild Hunt. It's the day where the power of fertility, prosperity and luck changing rituals are enhanced. So people do a lot of them. Especially this traditional one where they go out and hunt an animal to use as a sacrifice. If the hunt is good then the person's year will be good and if not it'll be bad. It's a form of old magic, a ritual based version of the luck potions we use today." She recited the details she'd memorized in preparation for today dutifully.

"Excellent. Thank you, Rhode." Chiron praised with a subtle wink.

Rhode smiled back, "No prob."

"Next, I would like to point out from one of my previous statements from the start of this hearing, how Mr. Dumbledore had already failed Rhode Evans once before with her home situation," Chiron's voice turned soft as his eyes looked into his student's, "I know, it may be difficult Rhode, but can you shed some light on the…conditions you endured?"

Rhode's face darkened and gave Chiron a small pleading look. She did not want to talk about that. She closed that off long ago. She bit her cheek at the soft understanding look Chiron gave her, but his hand gesture carried a weight that made her relent grudgingly.

Just one more time, just one more time and it's over. For good. Rhode repeated this in her head as her darkest memories crawled forth in her mind.

Rhode's voice started off soft, like a gently wave, "It…It was always dark. As long as I could remember, I lived in the cupboard under the stairs. It was padlocked as I got older." She said, getting a glazed look, lost in the memory, "I hated it. It was so tight, choking. Confining. Just suffocating. I would spend days and nights just screaming that "I don't want to be here, I want out. It's too small. Free, I want to be free." At first I did that out loud but after the first few beatings I learned to keep that kind of thinking in my head." She shuddered out as her hand fingered the pearl under her shirt in effort to stay collected, ignoring the people as she talked.

She jolted as a hand rested on her free hand that was gripping the stand, nails digging into the wood roughly. She looked to see Chiron's soft understanding eyes. Steeling her antsy nerves, Rhode continued, "I would have to pull my weight they always told me. First, they made me do the cleaning. Mainly after that pig they called their son." She spat out with venom, "As I grew, they just kept piling more for me to do. They treated me more like a servant than family." A bitter laugh slipped through her lips, "Yeah, looking back, they never considered me one. I was just a wallflower or something, never to standout."

Rhode felt small once more, so frail and helpless.

Weak.

The word echoed bitterly through her mind.

"I finally started school. They thought an education would be lost on some freak they said." Rhode grunted out, "I thought, maybe I could tell a teacher. Turns out teachers were worthless." The daughter of Poseidon said darkly, "Soon I was old enough to cook. I was terrible at it. I'd be punished for wasting ingredients and mocked for not knowing how to do things."

"That's enough child. You don't need to give us all the details." Chiron said comfortingly. "Just answer my next few questions with a yes or no and we'll be done. Is that alright?" Rhode gave a soft nod. "You mentioned cooking for them. Did you do other chores for them?"

"Yes."

"Did you get punished for failing to do them properly?"

"Yes."

"Did they beat you for that?"

"Yes."

"How much chores were you tasked with? A little detail here but only as much as you're comfortable with."

"All day. As long as I wasn't locked in the cupboard or at school I was expected to work."

"Did you try to get help?"

A dark look entered those sea green eyes, "Yes, but they called me a 'chronic liar', so nobody ever listened to me."

"I see. I think that's all I have to ask." Chiron said softly as he released Rhode's hand. Rhode stood up and stalked back to her chair. She grab Thalia's jacket and wrapped herself in it. Trying to keep calm.

Turning to see the aghast faces of the crowd, "As we see. Mr. Dumbledore selected rather poorly." Chiron said with a steely calm in his voice that was as sharp any sword.

Dumbledore indeed had a grimace play across his face, but it was gone quickly as Chiron called his next witness.

"Mr. Smith, if you would please." Chiron asked, getting a nod from the American. Striding forward with purposeful steps, the wizard sat down on in the witness box and nodded.

Chiron cleared his throat, "As in our own discussions, I must ask if you, and the American MoM authorities are satisfied with Rhode's current arrangement."

"Well, with what I have heard today. I most certainly say yes." The blond haired man stated.

"And as to why?" Chiron asked further, getting a small smile from Mr. Smith.

Folding his hands, the man continued, "From our inspections of the Delphi Youth Group's premises, the housing arrangement is suitable and is in fact a stellar environment for a child. As for school, Hogwarts is indeed an excellent school. Furthermore Mr. Brunner, your credentials as an educator are excellent. As such, we have no fear of Ms. Evans' education both muggle and magical wise. Her physical reports from the checkup at the hospital the DYG sent her to show that she is remarkably healthy both in body and mind. Add to all that the fact that you've already shown during the course of her testimony alone more care than all other parties that previously served as her guardians." Mr. Smith commented with a slight glance at Dumbledore, "We have also noted that the DYG has engaged a respected wealth management firm to manage Ms. Evans' inheritance. We are confident that with this arrangement in place, Ms. Evans will find her finances well taken care off. Thus as a whole, the American MoM is pleased."

"Thank you, Mr. Smith." The disguised centaur nodded as the American stepped down.

The hearing continued for a while longer, Rhode tuning it out until she Fudge begin to dismiss the court.

"That concludes this hearing." He said, "A verdict will be presented in the coming weeks. Dismissed."

Rhode frowned, somewhat upset that a verdict wasn't given immediately.

Mr. Smith came over to shake Rhode's hand and left, wishing her luck. Chiron wheeled over as the daughter of Poseidon, who put on her beanie, "Mortals came to the camp?" she asked with surprise. She hadn't heard anything about that.

Chiron nodded with an amused smile, "Yes, around October to check the camp. But naturally we couldn't have them see anything, so we used the Mist rather heavily on them and had them unconscious in the Big House for the duration of their inspection." The trainer paused, "Though Mr. D seemed to have one repeatedly walk into a wall for his own amusement." He mused.

"The Mist?" the scion of the sea blinked, before it dawned on her, "Oh, the veil thing ran by Hecate that keeps gods stuff on the down low." She said, getting a pleased look Chiron.

"Indeed." Chiron rubbed his beard, "That reminds me, I should check if you can manipulate it. Well, that's something we can save for the summer." He said to himself. He looked back at his charge, "Shall we head home, Rhode?"

The daughter of the sea gave him a small smile, "I'd like that a lot."

The returned to Level Eight and waited in line to exit the ministry. Returning to camp, Rhode took in the scent of the Long Island Sound, missing it. Annabeth had been waiting for her and greeted her warmly with a hug. Luke and Grover walked over to her at a more sedate pace, bundled up against the nipping elements as they gave their own greetings.

Those sparkling grey eyes looked up at her with that adorable smile and for that moment, Rhode felt her problems melt away.

"Let's go get some cocoa, guys. Warm us up." Rhode smiled at the young blonde.

"I hear that, my hooves are freezing." Grover shivered, getting an eye roll from Luke.

"I told you to get those warmers at the camp store."

"They're expensive!"

"Oh!" Annabeth bounced with excitement, "There's a snowball fight starting up later, wanna join in?" the daughter of Athena asked Rhode eagerly.

Rhode gave her a small smirk, "You going to be on my team?"

"Duh! Of course!"

"Well, then I think we'll win for sure." The daughter of Poseidon said, ruffling Annabeth's hair. She paused and glanced at the guys, "How about boys versus girls?"

"What?" Grover gulped as Luke looked intrigued.

"That sounds fun." The blond son of Hermes grinned.

"We'll whoop your butts!" Annabeth boldly declared, shaking her mitten clad fist.

Rhode teased the boys, sea green eyes swimming in mirth, "Oooh, she's calling you out guys."

"Can't have that now." Luke said with a twinkle in his own icy blue eyes.

Annabeth put on her game face, Grover was chattering from the cold, Luke had that smug grin on his face, and Rhode just felt a smile forming on her own.

Yeah, this was her home. Rhode was so glad she was here with her family.

* * *

A day later, currently covered in snow after a rousing snowball fight with Jack and a smile on her face, Rhode went to the Big House to follow up with Chiron on a few things he wanted to discuss. As she approached, she saw that Chiron was waiting for her on the deck, a small assortment of snacks laid out on a table next to him. Spotting her, the centaur gestured to her to join him. Rhode dutifully obliged.

"Good afternoon Rhode, enjoying your day?" Chiron asked pleasantly. "Care to join me for some snacks whilst we talk?"

"Yeah, it's been great. Sure. So watcha want to talk to me about?" Poseidon's daughter replied easily.

"Dumbledore." Chiron seriously.

"What!? Why on Earth would you want to talk to me about the old goat?" Rhode angrily shouted, her temper having spiked at the mere mention of the old wizard.

"Because, Rhode, there are lessons you need to learn from talking about him." Chiron said gently.

"Lessons? What could I learn from him?" The demigoddess refuted defiantly. "How to be an idiot?"

"No, Rhode. There are many lessons that you can learn from Dumbledore's failings…" Chiron began.

However, Rhode cut him off. "Well, I don't see why I would want to."

"Because you'll have to deal with the man for years to come and understanding his motivations will help you in that regard." Chiron countered. "Understanding breeds acceptance, after all. Or at least tolerance." he said with that usual cultured wisdom that he was famous for.

Rhode looked ready to continue to argue, but Chiron continued before she could. "Just hear me out, please? If you are adamant on not wanting to hear this then just tune me out, but do try to give me a fair chance first if you will."

Rhode was sorely tempted to say no, but she respected her trainer too much for that, so instead reluctantly nodded.

"Thank you, Rhode." Chiron said as he began his analysis on the inner (frightful) workings of Albus Dumbledore. "First and foremost, Rhode, Dumbledore is a man. And with all men, there's good and evil within him." Rhode nodded along to this, the old Headmaster was evil alright! "He is a narcissistic control freak that seeks to manipulate all around him to serve his purposes. The fact that he went so far to gain control over you is proof of his controlling nature. Worst, his narcissism has grown into hubris as he's lived for decades in the adulation of the Wizarding World who claim he can do no wrong, to the point that he actually believes that to be true." Chiron analyzed intently.

"Wait, you got this after meeting the guy, what?, like, twice?" Rhode blinked.

"I've been around for a long time, Rhode." The centaur chuckled lightly before he continued, "Besides, a little research to shore up my first impressions was more than enough. Now where was I?" he scratched his most impressive bread, "Ah, yes! His manipulative nature." Chiron said as he returned to the topic on hand. "Besides the fact that a controlling person is often manipulative as well, Dumbledore has also left behind plenty of evidence of his machinations. Just a quick review of his voting patterns in the Wizard's parliament, the Wizengamot, is proof of that. He often skillfully manipulates his opponents into unknowingly supporting laws he supports. Outside of that, there are plenty of accounts by dissident formerly British wizards and witches about his attempts to manipulate them, even in regards to aspects of their private lives."

"Really? How come people in Britain don't know this then?" Rhode asked incredulously, an eyebrow raised questioningly.

"Such accounts are suppressed by the Ministry of Magic of course." Chiron said knowingly. "A natural result of Dumbledore's own influence within the body and their natural desire to suppress anything that besmirches their national hero."

"Huh." Rhode said uncertainly. "So he's just a bad guy? A wolf in sheep's clothing kinda thing?"

"No, Rhode. Remember how I said as a man there is both good and evil in Dumbledore? We've cleared the topics of his evil, but there's plenty of good in him too." Chiron said sagely.

Rhode gave a disbelieving look at this declaration, but held her tongue and let Chiron continue.

"All evidence suggests that Dumbledore despite his faults is good intentioned. Wherever possible he has always, without fail, championed the morally right cause. Sometimes to the point of naivety, such as his attempts to redeem even the most irredeemable criminals. He has repeatedly used the possibility of redemption as an argument to forgive even the most heinous crimes. Even worse, there is talk that at times he takes this so far that he prohibits his followers from using lethal force even in self-defense against opponents trying to kill them and thus leading to unnecessary deaths."

"So even when he's good, he's evil?" Rhode asked slowly, blinking a few times in confusion. Okay, this was getting a bit complicated now.

"In a manner of speaking, yes." Chiron replied. "Of course, this is made worse because he sees himself as the leader of Wizarding Britain."

"How…" Rhode interrupted.

"Patience Rhode, I'm getting to that." Chiron chided gently. "You see leaders must sometimes makes difficult decisions. Decisions that cost their side a great deal but will ultimately yield even more benefits. Dumbledore has sadly internalized this. Combine this with his other personality traits and you have a recipe for disaster. His naivety means his goals are often unrealistic at best and utterly foolish or self-defeating at worst. His hubris means he won't accept criticism of said goals even if they're accurate. His controlling and manipulative nature means he'll be able to maneuver his people towards those goals regardless. Add in his acknowledgement of the need for sacrifice and you have good people sacrificed in the pursuit of the most ridiculous things."

"Wow!" Rhode said awed. "He's more of a screw-up than I ever imagined!"

"Perhaps." Chiron conceded. "However, you must also acknowledge that much of your resentment towards him stems not from his failings, but because he is for all intents and purposes your enemy."

"Enemy?" Rhode questioned.

"Does he not stand in the way of what you want? Your freedom?" Chiron asked rhetorically. "Then does that not make him your enemy?"

Rhode bobbed her head right and left, then finally nodded affirmatively.

"If he was not your enemy, would you have even seen his flaws? Likely not. Many grown men and women, both past and present did not. Him being your enemy made you predisposed to see his flaws, to see his bad sides, and thus allowing you to see things you would have otherwise overlooked." Chiron postulated.

"Maybe. But that doesn't change that Dumbledore is doing evil." Rhode retorted, poking the table for emphasis.

"True. I have never disputed that." Chiron admitted. "But I have also pointed out how he has also done plenty of good. That he is your enemy blinds you however to this fact."

"Yeah… But in the grand scheme of things…" Rhode began to argue, only to be interrupted by Chiron.

"Are you saying that you, an eleven year old, is in a position to judge him?" Chiron said as he looked at her seriously.

"No… But…" Rhode said as she struggled to defend herself.

"Rhode, I've said all I mean to say on this issue. Enjoy your snacks, I have an archery class I have to attend to now." Chiron said as he gestured to the untouched snacks on the table and turned to walk away.

"Chiron, wait!" Rhode shouted.

"Yes, child?" Chiron said as he turned around to face the child of the sea once more.

"You didn't tell me what you think about Dumbledore." Rhode said desperately. _Or what you think I should think about him_ , was left unsaid. Because Rhode felt slightly confused now.

"I, Rhode? As I said, I think he is a man. No more, no less." Chiron answered. "But what truly matters is what you think about him and I can't answer that for you. You need to answer that for yourself. Just think on what I have told you." With that last few words of advice, Chiron departed.

Rhode frowned at that, propping an elbow on the table, resting her cheek in her open palm and looked down at the snacks. She reached out with her other hand and took a Skittle, popping it in her mouth. Annoying displeasure etched on her face with a knitted brow.

She was wondering what to even think right now. Sure, Chiron said Dumbledore wasn't all bad but by his own argument he was pretty horrible. But yet, Chiron didn't seem to want her to hate him. But what then? How else could she feel about someone who was her enemy? Sympathy? … Actually, after hearing all that she did feel just a tad bit sympathetic for the old man. He looked like someone who wasn't ready to be thrust into the job he had and was trying to do his best, but screwing up all the while. She couldn't help but feel sad for someone like that.

But as a whole? Her new sympathy was little more than a mote in comparison to the burning hatred deep in her heart for him. He was her enemy after all, and it was only natural to hate your enemies, right? Yes, that's it.

She hated him, he was her enemy, sympathy be damned!

* * *

New Years went by fast at camp. Cabin Nine was amazing with the New Year's fireworks, they looked like they could rival if not surpass the show in New York City. Everyone was partying, even the grumpy Mr. D looked surprisingly festive, probably because it was a major party day.

Soon Rhode was back at school and it was pretty uneventful besides learning some neat spells and sending letters to her friends.

_Dear Bethy,_

_I just touched down back at school. And I found this cloak as a present. It's all silvery and shiny and stuff…I think it's from that old goat. Dumbledork, not a satyr. I think it's laced with all kinds of magic, I'm not gonna use it until Chiron or one of the Hecate kids check it out though. Safer than sorry, right?_

_Your friend,_

_Rhode_

_P.S. Remember to keep practicing like we promised. Say hello Luke and Grover for me._

* * *

_Dear…huh, we've never given ourselves a name, have we? Well, hey guys!_

_Hope you guys are good, I know I am! But I'm sure you heard the news from Chiron, he just lettered me with Wright. One Rhode Jasmine Evans is a free gal! Whoo!_

_Man, you should have seen the look on Dumbledore's face! Never seen an old man pouty before. I even raised my goblet to him. I think it annoyed him or at least I hope so._

_I heard through the school's rumor mill that other idiots wanted to try their hand at becoming my guardians too. The minister's cronies, "former" Death Eaters (bad dudes), etc. But they were willing to let Dumbledore, with all his influence, give its try first. When he failed though, they just gave up. Probably thought it'd be a waste of time and money._

_Smart call for a bunch of idiots._

_You know that Hermione chick I've mentioned once or twice? Ugh, that girl was all up in my face about the hearing. She just wanted to get all the details from me. You know I hate talking about it, well she just wouldn't let it go. I told her off good. She finally stopped hovering around me and said I was just some 'Brutish Yank'._

_Cool, right? I'm considered a Yank now! But I was all whatever to her about it._

_Chat later gang._

_P.S. Try to make a group name. I was thinking maybe Fantastic Four? You?_

* * *

_Sup Luke,_

_What do you mean that name is totally a Marvel rip-off?! It fits! You're the Human Torch, Bethy's the Invisible Woman or girl, I'm Mr. or rather Ms. Fantastic, and Grover is clearly the Thing._

_So it's been a while after I sent that last letter, sorry. Detention. My life is a nightmare with those things. It doesn't help that they never leave me out of their sights now! Wish they'd go back to being dumb about it._

_Anyway, I totally didn't deserve my last one. I mean, sure I set Malfoy's pants on fire with the fire-making charm I learned in Herbology. But that loser had it coming! He had been picking on that Longbottom kid, Neville. Shot him with a leg-locker curse._

_Now you know, that I know, that you know, I hate bullies. So I take out my hate on the bullies here, all for the sake of balance._

_Anyway, I keep telling the kid to stand up for himself since it's painful to watch. He reminds me of Grover with what little confidence he's got. Uh, don't tell Grover I said that. But if he did read that; I'm sorry Grov…I still love you, cloven hooves and all._

_Going to train right now, letter you guys soon. Keep working on the name though. And tell Bethy we aren't making membership cards._

_From the sassiest girl you know,_

_Rhode._

* * *

_Heya Grover,_

_It's finally getting warmer outside. Bet you're enjoying it. Gross part is that finals are coming around soon. This is why school sucks. That and homework, they should burn together in the deepest of pits. Su's been helpful on the studying front, be sure to tell Bethy for me. You how she worries about my studies._

_Oh! I had heard from some older girls that you could swim in the Black Lake, and it is huge! Bigger than the camp's canoe lake, that's for sure._

_I even made a new friend, he's a giant squid. It was tough picking out a name for him though. It came down to Lancelot or Bob. So I went with Bob. Short, sweet, and simple. I think he likes it._

_Also, Lee let me in on a rumor. Did you know someone's killing unicorns?! The nerve! If I ever run into the dirty rotten jerk, I'll drown him! Seriously, who could kill such beautiful creatures? It's a crime against nature!_

_Anyway, before I get too pissed off, let's move on. While naming us the Green Party is good, since green is the best color in the history of ever, let's try to go for something else and less environmental, kay?_

_Tell the others my hellos, I got to go study some more. Ugh, Su is a slave driver!_

_Don't even get me started on all the muggle homework. Math is a crime against life itself!_

_From,_

_Rhode._

* * *

_Hey Bethy!_

_Well, the April showers have finally ended and the May flowers are coming in rather nicely. Tell Grover that for me. Man, it is hot today. They should invest in some AC here._

_So listen to this one, our grounds keeper's hut went up in flames! Dumbledork said it was a fireplace mishap, but word from the grapevine is that he was raising a dragon. What's up with that? Is everyone here nuts? Who raises a dragon?! Especially with innocent edible demigods around? The nerve!_

_Anyway, today is the day._

_Finals._

_Maybe pray to your mom for me, because I think I'm going to need it._

_Anyway, with love,_

_Rhode._

"Phew," Rhode said, wiping her brow as she finished the last line. Folding the letter into an envelope, she handed it off to Hedwig, "Here you go, Hed, give it to Bethy." She said to her fluffy snow owl.

Hedwig gave an affirming hoot and grasped the letter in her beak. Her wings flapped and she was off.

"Rhode!" Su said, jogging up to her, "Come on, the tests are starting soon." She said.

Rhode grimaced, "Joy."

Su frowned at her, "You'll do wonderfully. We've been studying hard after all." That got a smile from the daughter of Poseidon.

Bless Su, bless her kind little heart. Without her helping Rhode, the daughter of Poseidon probably would have been nervous as heck for the coming tests today. And Lee too, she guessed. He pointed out to the girls what to study.

It was sweltering hot, especially in the large classroom where they did their written papers. They had been given special, new quills for the exams, which had been bewitched with an Anti-Cheating spell.

They had practical exams as well. Flitwick called them one by one into his class to see if they could make a pineapple tap-dance across a desk. Rhode went above that and got hers to breakdance. She earned extra points for that one.

McGonagall watched them turn a mouse into a snuffbox - points were given for how pretty the snuffbox was, but taken away if it had whiskers. The daughter of Poseidon felt she did okay on that one, she let her artistic juices flow, earning her some extra credit and lost it due to her box having a tiny whisker. Even after pulling it off, Rhode didn't get those points back. McGonagall sucked.

Snape made mostly everyone, except Rhode, nervous, breathing down their necks while they tried to remember how to make a Forgetfulness potion. Rather ironic in her opinion. Good thing it was actually a class that she had went to or she'd have to try and claim she drank her potion, completely forgetting she made it. It was a sound backup plan in her mind.

Though, throughout the day, she had to ignore the stabbing pains in her forehead. They'd been bothering her a lot recently, making her mood foul. She kept getting that old nightmare and it annoyed her heavily.

Her very last exam was History of Magic. One hour of answering questions about crazy old wizards who'd invented self stirring cauldrons and they'd be free, free for a whole wonderful week until their exam results came out. When the ghost of Binns told them to put down their writing utensils and roll up their parchment, Rhode praised Olympus that it was finally over as everyone cheered.

* * *

It was early in the afternoon now and Rhode slumped into her bed. What better way to end a day of exams then with a nap?

In hindsight, she probably shouldn't have taken that nap.

_Black wisps filled the dark circular chamber. Slithering on gravel echoed as a large black shadow-like serpent flicked its tongue, hissing._

" _Yesss." A voice rasped out from the spectral reptile, "Clossse, ssso clossse." There was triumph laced in its words._

_The snake coiled around a large body mirror, its head looking right into it with gleaming red eyes._

_Reflecting in the mirror was a stone of blood red, oozing with power._

" _Sssoon. I will live once more. Then all will be mine!" it pounced at the mirror, shattering it and the dream along with it._

Sea green eyes snapped open.

"Ah spume."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's chapter eight, special thanks to Sieg for another awesome job.
> 
> I think this is my longest chapter to date for Rhode, but we had to go through a lot of important stuff.
> 
> As you can see, Rhode's rebellious nature is coming to a head. Willing to fight the points system!
> 
> Sieg: Well, look forward to when she get's older. E4E told me I could cut loose then.
> 
> The X-mas scene was a blast to do. That Annabeth part was something I have been dying to write for months since I first started planning this story.
> 
> Ethan and Emily Raines are a homage to my buddy Bonesboy15. Though as to why you may ask? Well, it's a secret! XP
> 
> I sped through the second term by using letters as a form of time skip. It was a interesting idea and I hoped you liked it.
> 
> We see how Rhode and Hermione are not friends. They were never going to be guys, they tried and it failed. Terribly. Hermione's overbearing need to know about the hearing pushed Rhode uncomfortably since it was a private matter, so her nosy nature backfired on her and Rhode broke things off. What happens to her later on you ask? Well, you'll just have to wait to see.
> 
> Rhode is quite angry with Lily and James. First off, you have to realize that Rhode has far less attachment to them compared to canon!Harry. Rhode has her dad (though they haven't met), Thalia, Luke, Annabeth, and Grover as her family. So she has no need like canon!Harry to desperately cling to their memory and that makes them legitimate targets for her displeasure instead of the venerated saints that his parents were to canon!Harry. Furthermore, her Fatal Flaw is Anger. This, added to her youth, means she is willing to lash with her anger at whatever had a hand in her suffering. And you can't deny that the Potters had a hand in creating the circumstances that left her at the Dursleys and thus the suffering she endured there. Now, some of you are thinking, that's irrational. The Potters didn't mean for any of that to happen. Well, anger and emotion in general isn't driven by the rational mind, is it? As a young demigod (who are not known to be all that rational) with major anger issues, that is coping with the loss of Thalia at the same time, is it any surprise that Rhode's acting her age and lashing out at the world around her?
> 
> Sieg: Oh..if only you'd let me, she'd do more than lash out.
> 
> The trial I hope was good, me and my friend Nameless2210 worked really hard on it. The proceedings are oversimplified but this story isn't a legal drama and the POV character was Rhode who wouldn't know or care about most of it so keeping it simple whilst keeping the most salient points (i.e. Rhode's preferences, the kind of things that the court would want to know when placing a child: their housing arrangements, finances, and for a Wizarding court their education in Wizarding traditions, etc.) was what we strived to do whilst alluding to the fact there were plenty of other procedures that took place that Rhode never even noticed. Hopefully we succeeded.
> 
> Now, onto the final part. Dumbles. Yes, it may look like it, but I am not bashing him. As Chiron explained; it is who he is. Dumbles is a good guy at heart, but because he's Rhode's enemy we get to see all his flaws a lot more clearly here then they were in canon because unlike canon!Harry, Rhode and thus us readers don't see him through a rose tinted lens. He thinks he is helping Rhode, but she, who is far more spirited and freewheeling, does not seeing him as a savior, but rather more of an annoyance and an obstacle. ALL of the points raised by Chiron about Dumbles's nature (i.e. that he is: a leader, a narcissist [only a narcissist would hold so many positions of power as he did at the start of canon and believe himself not acknowledge he is power hungry but doing it for the good of others like Dumbledore does], has succumbed to hubris [he acts like and presumably thinks that he can do no wrong], is a manipulative control freak [see how he manipulates everyone around to do what he wants, especially Harry], is naive [his redemption ideology as seen in Draco and Snape. Both were about to do or had done irreprehensible things but he tried to redeem them.]) are all pure canon. They only seem so much worse here because they are not seen in the best light like in canon, but a negative but slightly more objective light. If you disagree with this interpretation feel free to drop a PM and explain why. For now at least, it's what I'm sticking with in the story.
> 
> Now, please review, no flames, and peace off!


	9. Year One: I Run a Wizardly Obstacle Course

**Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson or Harry Potter.**

**The Unrelenting Frozen Seas: The Journey**

**Year One: I Run a Wizardly Obstacle Course**

**Beta: Siegfried01**

* * *

In response to the dream, Rhode had made the call to her fellow demigods. She wasn't sure what was going on but that was a demigod dream, she was sure of it! And if camp had taught her anything, it was that those were important. They usually meant bad news, and if that was the case she'd need the help of her fellow campers. The dream was unclear about the timeframe of the threat, but that was all the more reason for haste. This was why the three demigods of Hogwarts assembled in the Room of Requirement only a couple of hours later.

"So, I had a dream." Rhode started, but Lee cut her off.

"I did too." The son of Hermes smiled.

Rhode looked relieved, "Oh, good. So you know what I saw."

Lee averted his eyes, "I kind of doubt it was the same." He laughed nervously.

Rhode just gave a confused blink, "What about then?" she asked, wondering if it could help them or if he saw something else.

"Just a regular dream." He said, ignoring the judgmental look Su was giving him.

Damn, he needed some guy demigods around here. He was going to drown in estrogen when they got older. If he wasn't already.

The daughter of the sea frowned, "Well, if you're sure." She said, getting a quick nod from Lee.

Rhode then explained her dream to them.

The looks she got were not good.

Not good at all.

"So, the stone is in danger?" Su asked in her quiet tone.

"Looks like it," Lee said, leaning back in his chair, feet on the table. He hummed a moment in thought, then leaned forward again, excitement in his chocolate brown eyes, "We could always steal it first." He said with a lopsided smile.

"…Of course you would suggest that." Su muttered.

"Hey," Lee protested, pointing an accusing finger at her, "That's stereotyping."

"Come on, Li, bust out the Kung-Fu." Su shot back mockingly, sitting a little straighter in her chair.

"Oh, are you really going to hold that over me!"

Su gave him a dignified huff.

Rhode's palm slamming the table jarred their attention back towards her, "Enough squabbling." She ordered, her tone serious and as sharp as a knife, "We have some guy going after a stone of great power. Who knows what'll happen if we let him get it. So we need to stop him from getting the stone. One way or another, even if it means destroying it." She said, but blinked when her friends just stared at her. "What?" she snapped, blushing, their looks making her shift her body a little in discomfort.

Lee shook his head, "Nothing…Bosslady." He said. Inwardly, he admitted that the daughter of Poseidon really knew how to take charge when needed.

"Don't call me that," Rhode said dryly. Only Flóga got to call her that. And that was only because she was just a filly and didn't know better.

It was quite for a beat before the daughter of Poseidon continued.

"First things first, we need to figure how urgent the threat is." Rhode mused aloud. "The dream wasn't exactly specific about a timeframe so it the thief could show up today or next year or whenever! Damn imprecise demigod dreams!"

"Well, if that's the case then we should keep an eye on the third floor corridor, right?" Su suggested. "I mean, the dream couldn't have been about something too far off right?"

Frowning, Rhode declared, "That sounds like a good idea. Well, let's get some food in us and we'll sneak in tonight to get a feel of the place before we plan out how to do that. I doubt the guy's going to move tonight."

"…Yeah, about that." Lee started off, "I got word from the twins earlier...Elvis has left the building."

"Who?" Rhode blinked, who was important enough to be called Elvis of all people at this place?

"Dumbledore." Lee replied solemnly. "And with him gone… Well, while he isn't much by our standards, to the common wizard, he's a big deal. And I can't see anyone except a magical going after a mortal artifact like this."

"…He's gone?!" Rhode gawked and palmed her face, "Of course. When you actually need him, when he might actually be useful, he's gone! Ugh, where?"

"London."

"Fan-spuming-tastic." Rhode sighed.

"Now what?" Su said, consulting Rhode as she was clearly taking point on this mission.

"Um," the daughter of Poseidon started, unsure what to do. Taking a breath, she decided to wing it. She was good at that. "Well, first off, we need to know what we're going to be facing. We know we have to deal with a Cerberus, so that's already a big problem." Rhode said, cupping her chin in thought.

"I got that," Lee waved off. At the dubious looks he got, he said with a miffed tone, "I got the intel from Hagrid. Some tunes and that thing is down…you'd think Hades would worry about that glaring hole in his guard dog." He thought with a scratch of his head.

"What else are we facing though?" Su asked, bringing them back on track.

"No clue." Lee admitted with a shrug.

"Argh!" Rhode growled out in frustration. "Well, then we're just gonna have take things as they come. The guy's no doubt going to strike tonight. Meet back here after dinner. We have a plan to form. And bring some dark clothes. We're going stealth people and be ready to face anything!" She said adjourning the meeting.

They shuffled out of the Room of Requirement and melted back into the crowd of students heading to the Great Hall for dinner.

Time ticked by among the loud chatter in the hall and Rhode was scanning the teachers table. The culprit was likely one of them. They after all were best placed to do something like this. Her eyes set on Snape, mildly hoping it was him, just so she could punch him in the nose. But her sea green eyes soon shifted to the turban wearing professor, Quirrell.

Her first dream at the school, it was about his turban yelling at her. Every time in his class, she just felt on edge for some reason, like she felt a monster nearby. The way he stammered about most of the time, it brought up a few raised eyebrows. Put all these things together and she couldn't help but be really, really suspicious of him.

Besides, she could easily rule out the other teachers.

But whether it was Snape or Quirrell, Rhode had a feeling she'd be facing one of them tonight, and she'd be ready when she did.

* * *

After dinner, the demigods reconvened in the Room of Requirement all suited up in their combat gear. Suitably dark in color to blend into the dark as Rhode had outlined earlier.

"Let's get this jerk." The daughter of the sea said as she did a final check of her stuff.

After exiting the Room of Requirement, the demigods skulked through the school, sticking to the shadows. Of course, Lee and Rhode did this far easier than Su, due to their natural skill and experience respectively.

They didn't meet any opposition until they reached the staircase up to the third floor. Peeves was bobbing halfway up, loosening the carpet so that people would trip.

"Who's there?" He said suddenly as Lee yanked the girls around the corner. He narrowed his wicked black eyes. "Know you're there, even if I can't see you. Are you ghoulie or ghostie or wee student beastie?"

He rose up in the air and floated near them.

"Should call Filch, I should, if something's a-creeping around."

Lee held out his hand, mouthing: I got this. The son of Hermes softly cleared his throat. He started to breathe heavily, the voice echoing through the darkened area. To Rhode, it sounded vaguely familiar.

"Silence, you petulant worm." Lee said in a deep menacing tone. "You are before the great Vader!"

 _Of course!_ Rhode bit her lip to stifle a giggle.

Peeves blinked his eyes slowly, "Who's Vader?"

Lee looked flabbergasted, who didn't know Darth Vader! Time to educate the dead, "I am your superior, foul peasant. Brother of the great Bloody Baron himself! I have come to mark this castle as my new domain. But it seems I must evict your wretched little soul from this mortal coil first."

Peeves, even as a spirit, paled, "But Peeves likes his wretched little soul on this mortal coil!"

"Silence!" Lee thundered, "Inform the other spirits of the castle that Vader has arrived. If you do, you may, perhaps, be spared."

Peeves gulped and bowed his head, "Yes, yes of course Vader-"

"LORD Vader!" Lee boomed.

"Lord Vader, yes, Peeves will do as told, Peeves be useful." the poltergeist wailed.

Lee nodded, "This pleases Lord Vader."

Peeves enthusiastically took the dismissal as it was and got the hell out of dodge, flailing his arms like wet noodles as he did.

Rhode looked at Lee, "That was amazing."

The dreadlocked son of Hermes buffed his nails against his hoodie, "All skill." He said with a cheeky grin.

"Umm… Aren't we in a hurry?" Su asked timidly.

"Right! Let's move guys." The daughter of Poseidon said as they continued their advance. A few seconds later, they were there, outside the third-floor corridor. They found the door was already ajar.

Rhode clicked her tongue, "Someone's got a lead on us."

"We'll catch up, no worries." Su assured.

Rhode nodded and pushed the door open.

As the door creaked, low, rumbling growls met their ears. A massive black hound with three heads rested in the large room. It was indeed a Cerberus, but they knew it wasn't _the_ Cerberus. Still, the half-bloods stayed alert. Just then, all three of the dog's noses sniffed madly in their direction and saw them.

Lee got in front, pulling an object from his knapsack, "Who wants to rock?" he challenged, "I wanna rock!" he exclaimed as he strummed his tool of victory, "Dad don't fail me now. Sprinkle some magic on me too if you can Uncle Apollo." He muttered to himself and started to play…the lyre?!

"When did you get that?" Su asked as Lee started to play beautiful notes on the instrument, making the beast's eyes droop as it pawed towards them.

"Scratch that," Rhode blinked in surprise, "What's he playing…is that Dream On by Aerosmith?!" she turned to Su, "I thought Apollo's kids were the musicians."

Su knitted her brow in thought, "Well, Hermes is known as the jack of all trades. His children are the same, plus the god did create the instrument." She informed, "Of course after killing a completely innocent tortoise." The daughter of Demeter frowned.

 _Of course, she'd be upset about that. She, like all other children of Demeter, shared their mom's love for animals._ Rhode thought to herself.

"Can you two stop gawking and get to that trapdoor already!?" Lee grunted out as he was pulling off a killer solo. Those music classes at camp were finally paying off. Just like Lee knew they would, though sadly his audience was a dog and two little girls. Darn it, he was supposed to serenade Angelina as his debut! Slowly, the dog's growls ceased as it slumped to the ground, fast asleep.

The girls edged around the three headed hellhound and Rhode pulled the trapdoor open. Peering down, she narrowed her eyes, "It's pitch black." She commented, "No way to climb down too." Clicking her tongue, the daughter of Poseidon tried to think up a solution.

Su looked down the hole and her eyes lit up, "I can sense something down there. Some kind of plant," She said. "Give me a minute."

"What kind of plant?" Rhode asked, she wasn't the best in Herbology, but she wasn't the worst either.

"Would you two like some tea for this chat?" Lee told them as he was now playing Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd.

"We're working on it," Rhode snapped back at him and turned to look her friend in the eye, "Su, come on, Lee can't keep that up forever."

"A Devil's Snare." Su commented casually as she called out to the plant in her mind.

"...That strangling one?" Rhode asked wearily, remembering it clearly from class.

Su gave a happy nod.

"Isn't it, like, supposed to be super dangerous?" Rhode worriedly mumbled. She was confident that Su, a daughter of Demeter, could keep it tamed. But if she slipped up…

Su's eyes burned with confidence, "Trust me." She said and hopped right down with zero hesitation.

Rhode was stunned by the action, but quickly recovered and scrambled over the trapdoor, "Su, are you okay?!" she panicked, her voice echoing in the darkness. Fear crept from her heart, worried over her friend.

Relief washed over her as a moment later, Rhode got a response, "I'm perfectly okay. Wait a moment, I'll send some of the vines up for you to use as a rope ladder." Su's voice echoed up. Even as she said this, a number of monstrously large vines appeared out of the trap door coiled up in a makeshift ladder.

Steeling her nerves, the daughter of the sea looked at Lee, "Come over here, I'll holler once I touch down." She instructed and grabbed the soft yet supportive vines.

Cold, damp air danced on her cheeks as Rhode descended down the vine ladder. _Based on the temperature and the height from the trapdoor we must be somewhere underground. Probably in some part of the dungeons._

"No wonder you knew it would be okay." Rhode said, letting go and landing on the plant, as Su giggled near her. Looking up, she called up to the light the size of a camera frame, which was the open trapdoor, "Lee, you're up!"

The distant music stopped and there was a loud bark from the dog, "Later Fluffy, look out below!" the son of Hermes cried before he climbed down the plant construct at a truly impressive speed only to trip at the very end and end up sprawled near the girls, "Huh, comfy." He commented, bouncing a bit, making the plant that covered every inch of the floor of the room they found themselves in slither in response. He looked up and said, "Wow, wonder how far down we are?"

"A few miles I'd say." Rhode hazard a guess.

"Good thing for this Devil's Snare." Su said, gently patting a tendril-like vine.

Lee looked at her, "Devil Snare?" Lee asked hesitantly, getting an happy affirmative nod from Su.

"Oh no," the son of Hermes panicked, "Quick, we need a light." He said, patting for his wand.

"Stop!" Su shouted with a tiny frown, "Daughter of Demeter, remember?"

"…Okay my bad." Lee said sheepishly.

"So, you got control of this thing, right?" Rhode asked, recalling once more just how dangerous the plant could be.

"Of course," Su answered and looked at the vines, "Could you be ever so kind as to bring us to the far wall, please?" she said kindly. The slithering plant did as instructed, wrapping it's tendrils around the three demigods and gently carrying them over as requested, "Thank you."

"Nice one, Su," Rhode gave her a thumbs up, getting a shy smile from the daughter of agriculture in return. Surveying the room quickly she noticed a stone passageway, which was the only way forward.

"Hey look, a hole." The oldest Gryffindor said as he pointed it out.

The daughter of Poseidon rolled her eyes. "Thanks Captain Obvious. Alright, let's go-Su, come on!" Rhode said to the daughter of Demeter who was petting the coiling plant trunk that was rubbing against her arm affectionately.

"Could I just get a small sample first? I'm sure everyone back at Cabin Four would love this one." Su gushed with a twinkle in her eyes.

"Li, I don't think Chiron would like a killer plant around." Lee pointed out dryly.

"B-But! I'll water it and teach it to mind its behavior and everything!" she argued pleadingly.

Rhode was hesitant at first but soon nodded, "Alright. but be quick about it." Lee baulked at this but Rhode cut him off. "It could prove useful in the fight later, Lee. Besides, Su can always get Chiron's permission before actually planting it."

The Ravenclaw gave a joyful squeal at this and hurriedly cut off a clipping of the deadly plant and pocketed it.

With that out of the way, they advanced on. As they did, all they could hear apart from their footsteps was the gentle drip of water trickling down the increasingly narrow passageway as it sloped downward. The increasingly small space caused restlessness to fill Rhode, the one she usually got from being in enclosed spaces.

"Rhode," Su whispered, getting the daughter of the sea to stiffen, "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," she grunted out, marching ahead, "Just hate this constricting space."

"I hear you," Lee said, arms folded behind his head. But soon, his ears tingled, "Shh," he said with a finger before his lips, alerting the girls, "You hear that?"

Rhode closed her eyes and concentrated. A soft rustling and clinking seemed to be coming from up ahead.

Su said, "It sounds like chains."

"Nah," Lee shook his head, "I know this sound, it's wings!"

"Some sort of flying creature next?" Rhode asked as they headed towards the light at the end of the tunnel. "How reassuring," she sarcastically muttered. They had already had to deal with a Cerberus and a killer plant so far, so it was entirely possible. Up ahead, they could see movement, "Weapons prepped guys." She said, pulling out her spyglass.

Su pulled out her fan as Lee's hand hovered over his knife pouch.

They reached the end of the passageway and saw before them a brilliantly lit chamber, its ceiling arching high above them. It was full of small, jewel-bright birds, fluttering and tumbling all around the room. On the opposite side of the chamber was a heavy wooden door.

No, they weren't birds, they were, "Keys!" Su breathed as she caught sight of the beautiful rainbow of colored metals swirling over them.

Rhode somewhat wished she brought her camera. Shaking those thoughts out of her head, she looked at the distant door, "They might attack if we cross." She put out, "I'll go first." With a tap of her teal glass bracelet, the shield of Achilles came to life. She held it over her head, took a breath and proceeded to make a mad dash for the door.

The scion of the sea was surprised that she didn't hear any banging against her shield and lowered her right arm, looking up, "Seems to be okay," she shouted across the room to her friends, eyes narrowed at the keys.

The other two soon joined her. Rhode, dismissing her shield, went to open the door. But of course, it wasn't that easy. Honestly, it never was. Pulling the handle, it didn't budge. Using her wand, Rhode cast the unlocking charm, Alohomora.

Nothing.

Rhode looked up at the keys and said, "Oh you've got to be kidding me!" She groaned, they needed one of the keys to open the door!

"Looks like I get to perform a hat trick," Lee stepped forward with a grin. Spreading his legs and planting one palm to the floor, he said, "Time to go _Air Jordan_." As soon as he said those last two words, his Converse sprouted dove wings that fluttered like hummingbirds.

"…Lame." Rhode said, getting Lee to stumble.

"What?!"

Rhode crossed her arms, cocking her hip, " _Air Jordan_ , really? That's the best you had?"

"That is an awesome activation phrase!" Lee argued with heat. Did this girl not realize how hard it was to hack the shoes' password system just to change it from Maia?! Er, no offense to his lovely and kind immortal grandmother. But not just anyone can do that!

Rhode just gave him two thumbs down.

"…You are a hurtful little girl." The boy pouted and crossed his arms childishly, making Su giggle at their antics, even as she interrupted them.

"Um, guys, there are brooms over there." She pointed out, making Lee give a big smile.

"See! We're supposed to fly!" the son of Hermes said and was about to take off, but choked as Rhode grabbed him by his hood, "Hey!" he croaked out.

In a show of surprising strength, she dragged Lee to the door and threw him before it. "Door. Open. Now." The daughter of Poseidon ordered him.

"Fine," Lee grumbled as he placed a finger lazily on the key hole and started his lock picking magic, "Totally taking away my badass aerial moment." He whined as he gave Rhode an accusing look, "You just want me for my body!" he said, sounding like a victim.

"Duh." Rhode said with a deadpanned expression.

"…Su bear witness to her confession! Ow!" Lee yelped as Rhode punched him in the arm.

"The bad guy is ahead of us, enough clowning around." Rhode said with annoyance on her face, arms crossed once more.

Rubbing his arm, Lee huffed, "Oh, okay." And pulled the door open, "I'm done."

"Thank the gods," Rhode muttered under her breath and marched in, "Let's go."

The next chamber was so dark they couldn't see anything at all. But as they stepped into it, light suddenly flooded the room to reveal a real treat.

They were standing on the edge of a huge chessboard, behind the black chessmen, which were all taller than they were and carved from what looked like smooth inky black stone. Facing them, way across the chamber, were the white pieces. The towering white chessmen had no faces they noted, giving small creaks and groans of stone, as if they were alive.

"Now what do we do?" Rhode muttered. She was not a fan of chess.

"It's obvious, isn't it?" said Lee. "We've got to play our way across the room." Behind the white pieces they could see another door. He crossed his arms, brow furrowed, "Damn, where's mini Weasley? He's a killer at this game."

"Oh, yeah." Rhode mused, Ron was really good at chess now that she thought about it. She'd played him once or twice. He soundly whooped her butt. Guess everyone had their own little talent.

Su on the other hand had her eyes narrowed, no doubt her mind was racing. "Lee," she said, drawing his attention, "Can you fly over, please?" she asked.

"To the door?"

Su nodded.

Lee bent his knees and shot into the air, his winged shoes fluttering. He zoomed over the massive chessboard. Landing behind the white pieces and walked to the door, "Now open it!" Su instructed. After a moment, Lee used his Hermes magic to unlock the door.

Su, looking quite proud of herself, said, "Magicals tend to lack common sense at times. My father can be that way sometimes too. So, most would never think of just flying over the obstacle. We obviously needed to win to advance, but Lee's powers override that objective." Though she did give the board a sad look, "A true shame, this looked like such fun." Bemoaning, Su turned around, "Let's get those brooms from the last room."

Rhode, hands in her pockets, whistled, "Su, you rock."

"Why thank you." The daughter of Demeter smiling happily as she accepted the compliment.

Grabbing the brooms, they flew over to Lee. As she flew, Rhode felt a bit smug. Haha, suck it Zeus! She was flying! Huh, it was pretty easy too. She didn't see why Thalia always made a big deal out of it.

Dumping the brooms, they headed into the next room and down the next passageway.

"Anyone else noticing a pattern, here?" Lee asked, getting Su to nod.

"We've had Sprout with the Devil's Snare; Flitwick for the charmed keys; McGonagall transfigured the chessmen to make them alive." the Ravenclaw listed off.

"That leaves our worthless DADA teacher and the Slime Ball." Rhode finished up.

"Exactly." Su nodded, agreeing with the assessment of her fellows, though she really wouldn't go by those names to describe her Professors.

They descended into silence for a few moments after that before they reached another door. Rhode pushed it open without hesitation.

They all regretted that as soon as the door opened as a disgusting smell filled their nostrils, making them wave their hands in front of their nose or pinching them. Eyes watering, they saw, flat on the floor in front of them, a troll even larger than the one Rhode had killed, out cold with a bloody lump on its head.

Bringing out her trident, the daughter of Poseidon stabbed it in the head, "Better safe than sorry," Rhode said nasally as her nose was pinched. "But seriously, even his obstacle is worthless." She rolled her eyes.

Hurrying across the room to get away from the awful smell, they practically tripped over each other as they rushed into the next door. Thankfully, there was no great challenge to attack them as they entered the corridor beyond. The only sign of the next obstacle was a room at the end of the passage with just a table with seven differently shaped bottles standing on it in a line.

"Slime Ball's, huh?" said Rhode. "What do we have to do?"

They stepped over the threshold to the room, and immediately a fire sprang up behind them in the doorway. It wasn't ordinary fire either; it was purple. At the same instant, black flames shot up in the doorway leading onward. They were trapped.

"I really want to spring a Star Wars reference here." Lee murmured, "But I'll hold back for now." He said, eyeing the potions.

"Look!" Su seized a roll of paper lying next to the bottles. Rhode peered over one of her shoulders while Lee took the other while she read it out loud:

_Danger lies before you, while safety lies behind,_

_Two of us will help you, whichever you would find,_

_One among us seven will let you move ahead,_

_Another will transport the drinker back instead,_

_Two among our number hold only nettle wine,_

_Three of us are killers, waiting bidden in line._

_Choose, unless you wish to stay here forevermore,_

_To help you in your choice, we give you these clues four:_

_First, however slyly the poison tries to hide_

_You will always find some on nettle wine's left side;_

_Second, different are those who stand at either end,_

_But if you would move onward, neither is your friend;_

_Third, as you see clearly, all are different size,_

_Neither dwarf nor giant holds death in their insides;_

_Fourth, the second left and the second on the right_

_Are twins once you taste them, though different at first sight._

Su's eyes narrowed in thought, her Ravenclaw brilliance going at work as she read over the paper once more. "Ooh, I love logic puzzles." she gushed with excitement, her chestnut eyes glimmering, "Give me a moment or two please." She told her friends.

Lee in the meantime went eye level with the potions, looking over each of them carefully.

"Let's see," Su started off, "Seven bottles: three are poison; two are wine; one will get us safely through the black fire, and one will get us back through the purple."

Lee started tapping each neck of the bottles, humming to himself.

Rhode stepped back, potions and logic were her friends' sphere of power, not hers. Leaning against a wall, Rhode crossed her arms and waited.

Su read the paper two more times. Then she walked up and down the line of bottles, brow knitted as she pointed at them. At last, she smiled brightly as Lee stood up.

"This one." Su and Lee said together, pointing to the smallest bottle.

They both paused and looked at each other, "How do you know?" Su asked Lee, skepticism on her face.

Lee pointed to himself, "I'm a son of Hermes, I know my potions. You?" he challenged back.

"Simple logic." The Ravenclaw huffed, "The smallest bottle will get us through the black fire - towards the Stone." She soon frowned, looking at the bottle, "Sadly, there's only enough for one of us to swallow."

Rhode looked at them, "And for the purple flames?"

Lee pointed at a rounded bottle at the right end of the line.

"Lee, you drink that one." Rhode said, earning an incredulous look from the boy, "You're older, maybe you can get a teacher to get down here." She said and turned to the daughter of Demeter, "Su, you're the second line of defense if I don't finish this. The bottles will probably refill after a set time, they have to since the bottle is full even though we know someone has already passed through, so if I'm not done when it does come and help." She said.

"Whoa whoa," Lee said, holding up his hands, "Who says you go in there, Evans? Out of all of us, I know the most spells." He pointed out logically.

Rhode frowned, her hand ghosting to her scar, "…I don't know, but I feel it's got to be me. The dream came to me after all." She said, "Besides, Voldemort, he's here. I can feel it in my bones." Her scar was aching. That _had_ to mean something.

"You drink first," said Rhode to Lee, looking serious.

Sighing, the son of Hermes ran his hand through his dreadlocks, causing them to sway, "Just don't die…Luke'll kill me."

Gracing him with a small smile for his 'encouraging' words, Rhode said, "Thanks, Lee."

The boy took a long drink from the round bottle at the end, and shuddered, "Ugh, like ice." He grimaced and passed through the purple flames, out of sight.

Rhode steeled herself and stalked forward for the smallest potion vial. But before she could grab it, Su pulled her into a hug, stunning the daughter of the sea.

Face burrowed in her shoulder blade, Su said to Rhode, "Please come back. I'd rather not lose a good friend." She said in her soft pretty tone.

Rhode frowned, and slowly, her arms embraced Su. Over the past school year, she'd come to really care about Su. She was a good friend and she was happy to have met her, "I promise I'll come back, Su, you can count on that." She reassured the other girl as she moved out of the hug, "I'm not dying in some hole in the ground." With a wink, she picked up the drink, "Through the teeth, pass the gums, look out stomach, here it comes." Rhode said, downing the smallest bottle to the last drop like it was a shot glass.

Lee was right, it was like ice going through her veins. Placing the bottle back down, she turned to face the black flames, a fire of her own entered Rhode's sea green eyes. Ready for anything, like how it had been on the streets.

Only with magic now.

Tightening Thalia's jacket, the daughter of Poseidon dashed through the flames. The black flames licked her body, but she couldn't feel them - for a moment she could see nothing but dark fire - then she was on the other side, in the last chamber.

There was someone there alright.

"Huh." Rhode mused, "Didn't really think you had the guts, Quirrell." She admitted as she readied herself for a fight.

Quirrell smiled. His face wasn't twitching at all as he stood before a large mirror. The same mirror from her dream.

"Oh, I do," he said calmly. "I wondered whether I'd be meeting you here, Potter."

"Evans." Rhode said on reflex.

The turban wearing man just scoffed, "Like it matters." He turned to her and snapped his fingers. Ropes sprang out of thin air, but she was ready.

Rhode leaped out of the way of the ropes. Performing a roll on her landing, she stopped on her knee and whipped her hand forward lightning quick. Quirrell's stunned look at her dodge turned to horror as the sound of shattering glass reverberated throughout the room.

The mirror he had been so fixated on had been broken, Rhode's dagger embedded in it.

"You, w-what did you do?!" the DADA teacher shrieked like a banshee, his skin paling as he sank to his knees on the glass covered ground, trying to collect the pieces while cutting his fingers. "No no no no," he muttered frantically.

Rhode stood up, "It's over. I don't know how the stone was in there. But now that it's shattered? You've no chance to get it." She said coolly, spreading her feet and shifting with her right side forward, her left hand hovering over her bracelet, ready to summon her shield.

Quirrell's eyes were wide and in a panic. However, he was roused from his mania by a voice that put Rhode on edge. "Destroy her! She's ruined it all! End her now!" the hissing voice commanded with rage.

Quirrell cradled his head, "Yes Master, yes!" he moaned from the pain rushing through his head and rose from the ground. The glass shards slipping and cutting through his bony fingers. Shuffling through his weathered robes, he pulled out his wand. "Prepare to die, Potter!" As if to crack a whip, he reared his wand arm back and lashed it forward, firing a sickly yellow spell, a curse no doubt.

With a slap of her wrist, the shield of the mighty Achilles entered the world once more. Raising it, the curse bounced off the godly metal as if it was nothing, leaving not even a scuff mark on the well-polished shield.

Quirrell was taken back at how his curse was rendered useless. Capitalizing on this, Rhode's left hand reached for her wand holstered to her right thigh. She'd go for her trident normally, but Quirrell was mortal and Celestial Bronze wouldn't affect him at all. She'd have to file a complaint on that later, mortals aren't important enough her butt. Whipping out the stick, she cast the first spell that came to mind, "Mucus ad Nauseam!"

The curse of bogies.

In hindsight, probably not the best spell.

At the incoming curse, the DADA teacher shook out of his stunned state, lashing his wand up, the mucus green curse bouncing off some sort of astral shield harmlessly, "Is that the best you have, Potter?" he sneered, "First year spells? Then again, you always did cut class." He tutted his finger at her, "Shame on you, now you'll die for it!" he said, slashing his wand in the thrice, a string of purple, blue, and indigo spells lancing towards the daughter of Poseidon.

It was true, Rhode maybe wasn't the best student. And as a first year, she didn't really have a big arsenal of spells.

Baring her teeth, Rhode ran at the spells, her shield blocking them once more, her speed surprising the mortal as he fired a burning orange spell. Rolling around it, Rhode got in nice and close, raising her wand at him point blank.

But she wasn't exactly the worst either and if anything, Rhode was good at improvising.

"Incendio!" she cried out, a gout of red hot flames erupted from her wand tip, blasting the turban wearing teacher right in the face. Rhode mentally thanked Sprout for teaching that one. It was the only real offensive spell she had in this fight.

"AHHHH!" the man wailed, dropping his wand and gripping his face with cries of agony. As the scent of burning flesh saturated the air, he ripped off his burning turban as he lowered his hands. Blistered and burnt, the man's average Joe face was scarred deeply. "YOU!" he said chillingly, but Rhode backpedalled to gain some space.

The wizard shot his hand forward, "Flipendo!" he fired a blue spell. It seemed the man didn't understand when to quit, as Rhode raised her shield once more, deflecting the spell with ease.

"Quirrell, are you letting a child make a fool of you?" the raspy voice asked, and Rhode realized it was coming from the back of the wizard's head.

"N-No Master, no!" he screamed and held out his hand to his wand, making it jump into his waiting palm. Pointing it at the floor just in front of the scion of the sea, a mad glint in his eyes, Quirrell shouted, "Confringo!"

Rhode saw the spell seemingly miss her entirely before a fiery orange explosion flared into life in front of her and sent her flying. The air was forced from her lungs by the blast. To compound her troubles, immense pain soon shot through her system as her back made intimate friends with the stone wall, making cracks in it.

Her mind was lost as she tried to register what happened and collapsed to the ground, face first. In seconds, her vision recovered as she shakily got to her knee, only to see Quirrell pointing his wand at her, "Goodbye forever, Potter. This is in tribute to my Master. Avada Kedavra!"

It was like time slowed to a crawl. A sickly dark green light ejected from his wand's tip, soaring right at Rhode as a rushing sound pounded in her ears. It was the same light that haunted her in that damned nightmare.

Fear dug into her heart.

She was going to die.

Then, like a key in an ignition, anger thundered within her body, lighting a fire in her veins that forced her to her feet. Every fiber of her being refused to die as she charged head-on at the green light. More importantly, she refused to killed by this weakling! He'd hurt her and she'd MAKE HIM **PAY** FOR IT!

Raising the shield of Achilles, Rhode swung her shield arm at the curse, slapping it away as if it was nothing, getting a horrified look from Quirrell as it partly shattered the stone wall to the right.

"Impossible-!" he cried out, but was cut off as Rhode gut tackled him right to the ground. They skidded a bit, right into the mess of glass shards.

Instinct taking over, Rhode's left hand reached for a big jagged piece of glass. The sharp edges digging into her palm and fingers, dripping her mixed blood down the makeshift dagger. She brought it down with a war cry.

Quirrell gave a gurgling gasp as he looked forward, only seeing his paling reflection in the mirror shard buried in his throat. In his final moments, he looked into Rhode's sea green eyes. They were wild, unyielding, like the worst of storms you could ever imagine from the raw intensity in them.

The world muted to her, Rhode held his head with her shield arm (her hand burning his face more) and pulled the shard out, blood gushing from the artery she no doubt pierced. She hammered it down once more, blood splashing over her, "Ahh!" she screamed and repeated this action again and again until the light finally faded from Quirrell's eyes. Rhode gave one final stab to his mutilated throat before leaving the shard there, ending her attack.

Panting heavily, Rhode fell back on her palms as she straddled the corpse before her as her rage slowly ebbed away along with her adrenaline.

One would think she would be freaking out, she had just killed a man!

But, Rhode had seen terrible things living on the streets, things that had hardened her. If it was one rule she knew rang true, it was that in this world: It was either kill or be killed.

And Rhode wasn't afraid of a little blood.

Just then, a whooshing sound came from the entry into the room. Turning Rhode saw that Su had followed her into the room just as planned. "Rhode! Are you al-" Su began but stuttered to a stop when her eyes spotted the body. "Is he dead?" She asked surprisingly calmly.

"Yeah." Rhode said tiredly.

"Good." Su said quietly as she walked over. "Are you hurt?"

"I've a couple of bruises and a few scratches, but nothing major." Rhode replied. "You're not freaking out?"

"Should I be? He's a deadly criminal." Su replied soberly. "He tried to kill you. So I have no sympathy for him."

"But…" Rhode didn't understand. How could sweet little Su take this so easily? She'd just killed a mortal, not a monster, a mortal!

"This isn't my first body, Rhode." Su admitted as she turned Rhode's bloodied hand over and begun pouring some water over it and allowing Rhode's powers to heal it. "I've seen death before. My father is an Auror, he tries not to, but sometimes he brings his work home. So I've seen people both good and bad die. Death isn't something to fear. Neither is killing, not when they're the bad guys. Especially not when they're trying to kill you. You did nothing wrong, so don't worry about it."

Rhode stared at the daughter of Demeter in utter surprise. She knew Su had backbone, but she'd never imagined it was made of steel. Taking a shuddering breath, she took Su's hand with her own, lacing their fingers together, "Thank you, Su. I needed that."

Su just gave her that small little smile she usually gave, making Rhode feel one etch on her own lips.

Raising slowly, Rhode dismissed her shield and shakily got to her feet, adrenaline fading from her system. She staggered to get her knife from the mirror, but a hissing noise got her attention. Spinning around, she was face to face with a specter. Behind her she heard Su tense as well, the shuffling of her feet indicating she was moving into a combat stance.

The specter was wispy, like smoke condensing into a small cloud. It soon took the shape of a ghastly face. Just seeing it, Rhode knew it was Voldemort, "Potter!" it rasped in a deafening bellow of hate, charging right at Rhode.

Her demigod reflexes kicked in and she ducked under the cloud. Reaching into her pocket, Rhode pulled out her spyglass and flicked the adjuster. The gleaming trident appeared and she slashed at the cloud, getting a bellow of pain from the specter.

Remembering something Grover had showed her, Rhode formed a three-fingered claw gesture over her heart, then pushed her right hand outwards towards the wraith. As if reeling in even more pain, the phantom fled from the Ancient Greek warding against evil. Phasing through the a wall, it disappeared.

Rhode held her trident tight, sea green eyes peering around warily in case the wraith returned or something else happened. Su was on guard as well. After a moment or two, Rhode's shoulders slumped as fatigue and pain sprung from her body. "Okay, that was really unnecessary." she complained.

Returning her trident to a spyglass, she pocketed it as she walked to the remains of the mirror whereupon she pulled out her dagger and sheathed it. Her shield already turned back into her cuff bracelet. Rolling her aching shoulder, Su walked over to her with her wand. Just as Rhode thanked her and holstered it, through the flames came the belated Cavalry in the form of Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Snape, wands out.

"Well, look who's here." Rhode spat, glaring stormy daggers at them.

The teachers looked over their students' conditions. Su was unhurt, something which relieved all of them. Rhode however left them deeply worried. Her face was matted in soot, her clothes singed, but the most horrifying image was the blood dripping through the soot and that had splattered her from the waist up.

They turned to the corpse of their former colleague, putting two and two together with the glass shard embedded in his throat. They all turned accusing eyes towards Rhode at the sight but before they could say a word, Rhode marched right up to them.

She stood before Dumbledore, and even before he could ask for what had happened, Rhode socked him right in his crooked nose, breaking it along with his glasses, sprinkling the ground with glass and forcing him to stumble back.

"Evans!" McGonagall shrieked in shock as even Snape was blinking in surprise.

But Rhode didn't care as she panted. Pulling her arm back, she mustered out, "You are one seriously crazed up fruit loop!" She growled, "Having something like that stone in this school? You're nuts!" she shouted at the old wizard and pushed right past him back to the flaming door, "Now if you'll excuse me, I'd like to clean this blood off." She tried to enter the door, but the flames still blocked it, "Someone get me out of here!" she demanded.

"You dare make demands after what you've just done?" McGonagall demanded. Snape meanwhile eyed her warily as he moved to assist Dumbledore who had fallen from Rhode shoving him out of the way and was busily healing his broken nose.

"Yeah." Rhode bluntly answered.

"Why you ungrateful brat!" McGonagall thundered, her ire thoroughly stoked by the girl's impudence. "Is this how you speak to people, your teachers, who have come to save you?"

Rhode gave the woman a cold blink and was about to retort but was preempted by a incensed Su, "Save us, Professor McGonagall? Pardon me, but do we look like we need saving? Rhode just killed a man to protect this school, and all the students within, from a dangerous man who was drawn here in pursuit of a powerful artifact. A man masquerading as one of our very teachers. Do you honestly think you have any grounds to criticise Rhode after all that?"

Rhode could only look on in all the awe her tired mind could muster. She'd never expected Su to be so forceful. Sure, she'd learnt, literally just minutes ago, that she had steel hiding in her, but she didn't expect another demonstration so quickly.

"Miss Li, that's-" McGonagall began, only to be interrupted by Dumbledore.

"Minerva. Stop. I do believe Miss Li has the right of it." Dumbledore said, a look of contrition plastered on his face. This statement earned him shocked looks from everyone. _Dumbledore is admitting to a mistake? The world must be ending!_ Or similar thoughts flashed through the minds of all present.

Ignoring his shocked audience, Dumbledore continued. "I do believe we, the faculty, are at fault here. We created a situation that Miss Evans and her friends had no choice but to help us resolve. As such, Miss Evans, Miss Li, I thank you for your help in this matter. Are either of you hurt?" At their negative replies he nodded. "In that case, both of you are free to go."

"We can just leave? No detention or anything?" Rhode asked skeptically.

"None. I do believe you'd like that, no?" Dumbledore affirmed. Snape looked like he wanted to protest, but was silenced by the look Dumbledore shot him. McGonagall was still too shocked that Dumbledore had sided with a student against her to reply.

"Cool." Rhode nodded. Sure, she was fairly sure this was partly an attempt to curry favor with her on his part, but she didn't care. Not like it worked.

With that, they left the gloomy chamber after Dumbledore flourished his wand at the flames, making them blue. The professors could handle the corpse that used to be their colleague after all. The last thing they heard as they left was Dumbledore telling his colleagues, "Let's clean this up, can't let anyone see-"

Any other information that they might've heard was blocked out by the roar of the flames as they crossed the fiery barrier.

* * *

Rhode was, of course, forced to see Madam Pomfrey the school's nurse. Dumbledore might have just let them walk away, but McGonagall, after she'd regained her senses, did not. She'd tracked Rhode down, just before she'd reached the Fat Lady and the dorms (still covered in blood), and demanded she go see the nurse for a full checkup just in case. Thankfully she didn't overrule the no detentions bit or Rhode swore she'd swear bloody vengeance or something!

After a long winded argument with Madam Pomfrey on whether she was hurt or not. Rhode just said she needed to clean up was all. And after a nice, hot, bone relaxing, ten minute shower, Rhode was cleaned up and fit as a fiddle. Though she still forced Rhode to stay a night in the hospital wing for what she called 'observation'.

Ugh, and this is why she never went to doctors! Too much: do this, do that, you need medication. Bah! Half the time the quacks didn't even know what they were doing.

When they had heard that Rhode had gotten a medical 'detention', Lee paid her a quick visit with Su. During the visit, Lee told the others that Dumbledore was already in the entrance hall by the time he reached it while on his way to get help from the teachers in the staff room. Creepily, the old dude had let slip that he knew that the scion of the sea was going at it with Voldemort. That made all the demigods frown. Lee then asked about what happened after he left, so Rhode told him what happened down there and how Quirrell wouldn't be a problem anymore.

She didn't get any judgmental looks like the one Dumbledore gave her. Lee understood, the world wasn't a nice place and sometimes you had to do difficult things.

It was just how their life was sadly.

Lee and Su were just about to leave for the day when Dumbledore, of all people, showed up all of a sudden and asked for them to give him their accounts of the events. The timing seemed very suspicious to all three of them, but since he was effectively covering up a murder for Rhode, they all complied. Lee tamed Fluffy and flew for the key. Su performed the chess part and logic puzzle. While Rhode herself performed the big finale against Quirrell.

Thankfully Rhode was out of the hospital wing in only one day as promised, she feared the nurse would extend it just to spite her. The days that followed were boring in her opinion, nothing happened, and she was reduced to just waiting for the last few days of school to end.

* * *

It was finally the last day of school, the Great Hall was filled to the brim as the end of the year feast had begun. It was decked out in the Slytherin colors of green and silver to celebrate Slytherin's winning of the house cup for the seventh year in a row. A huge banner showing the Slytherin serpent covered the wall behind the High Table.

When Dumbledore stood, the babble that typified such gatherings finally died.

"Another year gone!" Dumbledore said cheerfully. "And I must trouble you with an old man's wheezing waffle before we sink our teeth into our delicious feast. What a year it has been! Hopefully your heads are all a little fuller than they were... you have the whole summer ahead to get them nice and empty before next year starts..."

"Now, as I understand it, the house cup here needs awarding, and the points stand thus: In fourth place, Gryffindor, with two hundred and sixty-seven; in third, Hufflepuff, with three hundred and fifty-two; second place goes to Ravenclaw which has four hundred and twenty-six, and for first place, Slytherin, with four hundred and seventy-two."

A storm of cheering and stamping broke out from the Slytherin table. Rhode just groaned, wanting this over with.

"Yes, Yes, well done, Slytherin," said Dumbledore. "However, recent events must be taken into account."

The room went very still. The Slytherins' smiles faded a little.

"Ahem," said Dumbledore. "I have a few last-minute points to dish out. Let me see. Yes...

"First - to Mr. Lee Jordan..."

The son of Hermes perked up, a loony smile coming across his face.

"...for the best flying minstrel we have seen in Hogwarts, I award Gryffindor house seventy-five points."

Gryffindor gave their cheers to that as Lee stood up on the table, bowing.

"Thank you, thank you! I love you all." Lee winked at a pretty older girl, "You too."

"Jordan, sit down!" McGonagall's voice cracked across the hall like a whip.

"Yes ma'am." The mischievous demigod rushed out, planting his rear, his smile threatening to split his face. The lions were still in fourth place, but at least they weren't so far behind now.

"Second - to Miss Su Li... for the use of cool logic in the face of fire and brilliant chess strategy, I award Ravenclaw house fifty points."

The Ravenclaw's were in an uproar, they had four points more than Slytherin! They were first place! Su, the shy little thing, was a luminous pink as her housemates were patting her on the back, cheering for her. That just made her try to make herself smaller. Until they hoisted her up, despite her soft protests that fell on deaf ears amongst the booming crowd.

Slytherin was in disbelief, faces stunned at the end to their streak.

"Third - to Miss Rhode Evans..." said Dumbledore. The room went deadly quiet, "for pure nerve, outstanding courage, and doing the most difficult of things this life could ever throw before us, I award Gryffindor house one hundred and fifty points."

The din was deafening. Those who could add up while yelling themselves hoarse knew that Gryffindor now had four hundred and ninety-two points – shooting the other houses out of the water.

The lions had risen to the top, winning the cup.

As those at her table erupted into cheers and hollers, as other houses looked put out at the number of points she had gotten. Rhode couldn't help but scowl at the man. What? Was he trying to butter her up or something with some dinky cup? Well, she didn't normally care but other people did! And now it was just pushed towards her? No, she would not stand by for this.

"Which means," Dumbledore called over the storm of applause, only to be interrupted by a furious roar from the Gryffindor table that drowned out all their merrymaking.

"I don't want your stinking points, you bully!" Rhode screamed as she stalked up to Dumbledore to confront the man. "You're just handing out these points to curry favor with me-"

"I assure you Miss Evans-"Dumbledore began to refute only to be cut off once again.

"Don't even try to pretend otherwise. You want to give these points, and take the cup away from people who actually worked hard to for it? Just so you score political points with me? That's abusing the system! That's being a bully to everyone else!"

"Look here, Evans-" McGonagall tried to jump in, but was silenced by a gesture from the Headmaster.

"No, what I did shouldn't get me points. Lee and Su, maybe. At least they did something worthwhile even if it was just getting through your little obstacle course in the Third Floor Corridor. But not me!" Rhode glowered. "You say I deserve them then why don't you explain what you're giving them out for, huh!?"

The whole Hall broke out into whispers at Rhode's declaration even as Dumbledore blanched. "Miss Evans, the events of that night should be kept secret. It is for the best!"

"If you want to keep it a secret then withdraw the points you unfairly gave me." Rhode demanded. "Or else-"

"Potter! You dare blackmail the Headmaster!" Snape shouted. "You claim to hate bullies, but here you are being one yourself. Hypocrite." he sneered.

Rhode looked around, "I don't see a Potter here, you?" she asked mockingly, the picture of defiance at its finest. "Besides, haven't you heard of 'fighting fire with fire'?"

Before Snape could ruin the situation even further, Dumbledore intervened. "Very well, Miss Evans. If you're going to object so vehemently to the points you've, in my opinion, earned then I will withdraw them." He looked decidedly unhappy about doing so though.

"Good." Rhode nodded sternly, as she returned to her seat even as her whole house gaped in disbelief at her.

"We need a little change of decoration." Dumbledore said in a strained festive tone, as he desperately tried to salvage the feast.

He clapped his hands. In an instant, the green hangings became blue and the silver became bronze; the huge Slytherin serpent vanished and a towering Ravenclaw corvid took its place. Normally the teachers would be congratulating Flitwick on his house's victory, but after what just happened they were either too shocked or contemplative to care. Snape caught Rhode's eye though and from that one glance Rhode knew at once that Snape's feelings toward her had gotten worst. He blamed his house's humiliation this night solely on her shoulders, even if it was largely Dumbledore's fault. That didn't worry Rhode, it wasn't a big deal.

The undercurrent of shock, disbelief, and anger that ran through her own housemates was also something that would have worried anyone else. But Rhode didn't care. So she cost them the cup, so what? They wanted it, they had to earn it or what's the point? If the idiots who wanted the cup so badly tried anything she'd be ready.

She'd faced worse. No silly teacher or idiot school kid could be a real threat to her anyways.

Right now though? The daughter of the sea just wanted to sleep.

* * *

After the feast, Rhode had faced the odd attempts at bullying her by her housemates in retaliation for the loss of the cup that she settled violently. A feat that quickly earned her a reputation for being "utterly terrifying" which apparently translated into the others knowing not to mess with her or at least that's what Lee told her. Her speech at the Feast had strained things with Ron too, he had so wanted the cup, but after she re-established her badass credentials by beating up her would be bullies, things had gone back to normal as according to him she was "too cool to not be a friend of."

An attitude that seemed to be shared by most of her house who warmed back up to her about the same time Ron did. Though they seemed a little more hesitant or even, dare she say it, scared of her now. Not that she cared, she was who she was, and if these people couldn't accept her there were plenty of others who did. Su and Lee did, sure both were upset with what she did at the Feast, both thought she deserved the points (even Su whose house would have lost if she did), but accepted her reasoning for doing what she had.

Rhode was sure her family back at camp and the other campers would too. After all, the campers, even the most sheltered, saw more of the world's good and bad then these isolated magicals and would be able to understand her actions. So who needed anyone else?

In between all the excitement with Quirrell, the Feast, and the tensions in Gryffindor, Rhode had almost forgotten that the exam results were still to come, but come they did. To Rhode's great surprise, she passed with good marks. Granger of course had the best grades of the first years. But Su was second in ranking, she was one smart cookie after all. Now all that was to worry about was Chiron's grading on their muggle homework.

Ugh, math, truly the most evil of all subjects.

And suddenly, their wardrobes were empty, their trunks were packed; notes were handed out to all students, warning them not to use magic over the holidays.

Rhode laughed and crumbled it up, tossing it to the side. Yeah, like she wouldn't use magic during the summer. That was a good one. Being a demigod had its perks after all, or that's what Lee said. The Trace didn't apply to them thanks to the Goddess Hecate and the Mist.

As she did, she saw Hagrid show up to take them down to the fleet of boats that sailed across the lake; Bob swimming beside the boats waved Rhode goodbye with a tentacle. She gave him a parting pat on the tentacle, she was going to miss him a little. Not long after that, they were boarding the Hogwarts Express and on their way home.

Rhode told Ron that she and Su had to talk about girl stuff, and he fled to find the other guys in his dorm to hang out with and thus secured for them a cabin all their own. Lee was somewhere with the Weasley twins, no doubt up to no good.

The daughter of Poseidon stretched her arms as she looked out the window, the countryside getting greener and tidier as she looked.

"Well, that was a fun year." Su said as she was looking over their homework before Chiron got his eyes on it. She was cool like that.

"Yeah, it was okay, minus all the stupid stuff." Rhode shrugged.

"And what percent was the stupid stuff?"

"Seventy-five percent." Rhode smirked at her friend, getting a soft giggle from Su. Leaning back into her comfy seat, Rhode fished out her spyglass, holding it up before her.

"Oh," the daughter of Demeter said, looking up from the books, "Finally figured out a name for it yet?" she asked, ever curious.

The scion of the sea gave a laugh, "Yeah, I have." She said and slid the adjuster, the gleaming metal springing to life, the sunlight from the window bouncing off it, making it radiant.

A happy look entered Rhode's sea green eyes, "Let them be awed by your magnificence," She declared in a gentle voice, "Mageménos."

As soon as she said that, along the shaft, the letters μαγεμένος appeared in gold, gleaming even brighter than the trident itself.

"Spellbound," Su hummed with a nod, "Poetic. A fine name for a fine weapon."

"Thanks." Rhode said as she smiled at the words on Spellbound and returned it to its spyglass form. She tossed it in the air and it disappeared in a green flash, the weight in her pocket feeling all that more comforting now.

 _Thanks, dad._ Rhode thought as her eyes fluttered shut, getting some rest before arriving at the station.

* * *

Su had woken her up as they neared London so they could change into regular clothes. Soon, the train had finally pulled into platform nine and three-quarters at King's Cross Station. The demigods said their goodbyes to their friends and Floo'd back to camp.

As soon as Rhode exited the campfire, the air escaped her lungs as Annabeth latched around her waist in a cheer.

"Geez, take it easy, Bethy." She groaned out, albeit with no heat, looking down with amused sea green eyes.

"But you're back!" Annabeth argued, her smile brimming brightly with life. Her startling grey eyes twinkling with happiness.

Rhode ruffled her hair as Luke walked up to them, she and the blond high-fiving in greeting.

"Had fun?" He asked her, picking up one side of her trunk as the daughter of the sea grabbed the other handle.

"Yeah, more or less." Rhode sighed as they started walking back to her cabin. Annabeth carrying Hedwig, greeting her kindly.

"You got to tell us everything!" Annabeth gushed her little heart out.

"Alright, alright." The daughter of Poseidon laughed with a smile on her face. It was good to be home.

She survived year one of Hogwarts.

Just six more to go, right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that is the end of year one, whoo!
> 
> Now, on to the question that you Potter fans will be raging about: You can't block the killing curse!
> 
> Well, actually, you can. Or at least, if you got Celestial Bronze! The name celestial isn't in there for cool points guys, it is a divine metal, the metal of the gods! The shield of Achilles was built by Hephaestus, the smith god. And he doesn't slack on his works, especially for the care-taker of his youth, Thetis. One of the most notable examples of celestial bronze deflecting energy, i.g. magic, was when Hades fired a bolt of darkness from his bident (a two-prong spear) at Percy at the River Styx during The Last Olympian. Riptide just backhanded that energy blast. So, if a sword from a nymph like Zoe can do that, then a shield made by the god of the forge could no doubt block the killing curse as it is mortal magic and the shield is enchanted by a god. There, I said my piece and it makes sense if you look at it.
> 
> Sieg: If you still don't understand it or disagree let's put it this way: If that dinky sword (albeit a well-made one I admit) can deflect a blast from one of the Big Three and it was the sword of a nymph originally, how much more can Rhode's shield block? Especially since it was made by the God of the Forge and was up against the powers of a mortal. Get it? Good.
> 
> And yes, Rhode has killed her first mortal. As to why it isn't hitting her as hard as say a normal eleven year old, simple; as explained in the story, the streets hardened her. Living out there for so long, she can't be afraid to do something like that as hesitating could have gotten her, or her family killed. Along with watching a man get shot in chapter one and what else she could have witnessed in chapter two over the skips, who's to say she didn't see more bodies? The world is a cruel place guys, it's a sad fact and Rhode has seen its ugly side many times throughout her young life.
> 
> Another thing you guys might be scratching your heads about is the scene at the Feast where Rhode blackmails Dumbledore into not giving her the points. You might be wondering why Rhode, who was generally apathetic to the points system, care? The simple answer is that she doesn't care about the points. She did what she did because: 1) She hates bullies and as she explained in-story what Dumbledore was doing was a form of bullying as he was abusing the system for his own ends at the expense of the other students, so of course she'd do something. Even if that something meant being a bully herself and blackmail someone to do the right thing. 2) She didn't want to be rewarded for being a murderer. Because let's face it in the obstacle course her only major contribution was fighting and killing Quirrell. 3) She just hates Dumbledore and couldn't resist the chance to piss him off. 4) Her Fatal Flaw was acting up. As already outlined, Dumbledore's actions pushed three of her major buttons so of course she'd be pissed and with her Fatal Flaw…well things just get 'interesting' when that happens.
> 
> Sieg: Still not interesting enough in my opinion...only one person died this chapter...and there was a shit ton of fighting...if it was one of the ones like the court case I'd be fine with it but c'mon...E4E you're holding out on us man!
> 
> Dude, she's eleven! Wait till she's older. So impatient and bloodthirsty.
> 
> On a lighter note, we see how the team of demigods got through the obstacles. Lee's soothing of the savage beast and his lockpicking powers helped out greatly. Su, a brainy Ravenclaw, easily figured out the logic puzzle, which is line for line from canon, but also figured a way over the chess game, thus saving them time. Her plant powers over the Devil's Snare also helped out greatly and now Chiron has a strangling plant to worry about. Gods, I love writing Su. Thank you J.K. for the free OC.
> 
> Sieg: For all of our complaints about the series (hence our presence on this site) at the end of the day Rowling was rather helpful to us Fanfiction authors. Providing us with built-in OCs like Su, Daphne and Astoria Greengrass, Tracy Davis and even other countries like Bulgaria and France to play around with.
> 
> Rhode has named her trident, Spellbound. It would have been cheesy to name it something water related like how Percy's weapon is. Rhode is different after all, and naming it related to magic just fits. Bet you didn't see that coming, huh? Thanks to all those who've submitted a name! It was cool looking at them all.
> 
> Next chapter will be the summer where Rhode can get some serious training in and perhaps something unexpected.
> 
> Of course I'm not telling you, so you'll have to stay tuned for next week.
> 
> Now, please review, no flames, and peace off!


	10. Second Summer: I Am Offered a Quest

**Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson or Harry Potter.**

**The Unrelenting Frozen Seas: The Journey**

**Second Summer: I Am Offered a Quest**

**Beta: Siegfried01**

* * *

As vibrant sea green eyes fluttered open, a groan escaped her lips as she was dragged forcefully from Morpheus' clutches. Sitting up on her bed, the sheets pooled around her waist as they were displaced from her chest. Scanning her surroundings, as per routine, bleary eyes and crusted drool on her chin, Rhode yawned, stretching, and groaning in relief as she felt her back pop in several places. Swinging her legs over the edge of her bed, Rhode allowed them to dangle in the air for a few moments before pushing herself off and hopping onto the floor; dusting herself off and wiping her drool off her face. It had been a few days since she arrived from Hogwarts, and so far it had been pretty good; there weren't any senile old goats or greasy grumpy bats so that was easily two points in Camp Half-Blood's favor.

She turned her head to look at the bed, and then at the others neatly arranged in a row at the center of the cabin. "Man, I could honestly use this space for something else." She muttered to herself, going to her drawer to put on her camp clothes. She grabbed Thalia's jacket and wrapped it around her waist, it was too hot to really wear it. Pocketing her beanie, she was set for the day. Her eyes caught a glimpse of green and blue on her dresser. Smiling, she slipped on the Nalu beads leather bracelet she made in Arts and Crafts on her left wrist. There, now she was ready for the day.

Rhode scratched the back of her head, saying, "I could chop this one in half." She said, making a camera motion with her fingers, framing the image of the bunk bed before 'zooming' in until it was a single, "Give me a single bed." She crossed her arms, cupping her chin with one hand, "Maybe Lee has a shrinking spell, that would let me put the rest of these in a shoebox or something. Not like anyone else is going to use them." Plus, if she did so she wouldn't have to worry about banging her head in the future, she had grown two more inches over the school year and now stood at five foot four inches.

Rhode's stomach interrupted her redecorating ideas. Patting it, she said, "Yeah yeah, food. Yeesh." Turning on the balls of her feet, she headed out of the cabin, as she exited she saw the bustling campers. Some heading for activities, others heading to the pavilion for breakfast, like herself.

Snagging a plate of pancakes, she walked to the hearth for her offering, "Poseidon." She said, tossing the top steaming pancake that had been lathered in butter and raspberry syrup into the fire. "Enjoy, dad." She smiled, moving back to her table as the next person gave their offering.

Sitting down, Rhode stabbed the stack of pancakes with a fork and chowed down. Savoring each bite made by those amazing nymphs, Rhode inwardly mused about what she was doing today.

Oh, duh!

Her first archery lesson with Chiron! Taking another hot bite, Rhode thought over how she had never used a bow before. Sure, she, Thalia, and Luke had found celestial bronze arrows, but they never really got their hands on a bow before. They often just stored them just because of the celestial bronze strapped to them.

She herself was eager to see how well she did out on the range.

Rhode turned to see Annabeth at table six, her face buried in a wide array of multi-coloured papers spread over her table in front of her like charts or something, muttering to herself and halfheartedly eating a bowl of Lucky Charms. An amused laugh came out of Rhode's lips at the sight as she finished her food and headed off to the Archery field with Cabin Seven.

* * *

Rhode felt excited as Chiron helped her into the proper stance. She was holding a standard dark brown short bow, as a quiver hung from her back. Her right hand sank into the leather grip as she spread her legs out. Reaching back with her left hand, she pulled an arrow out of the quiver, notching it onto the string.

"Now, draw it back," Chiron instructed as Rhode did as told. She screwed her left eye shut as she breathed in. She was in the zone, she had this. It was going to be easy. She lined up the shot, then, she breathed out, letting the arrow fly.

Rhode's smile widened until it faltered, "Eh?" she blinked as the arrow missed the center…and the target altogether.

In fact, it hit a tree…no, it ricocheted off a tree and was flying right back!

Rhode dropped to the ground with a shout, covering her head.

A squelch was heard, which was soon followed by a thud.

Silence filled the area.

"…Centaur down, centaur down!" Chiron cried out from the ground. The arrow had hit him…right in his rump.

"Oh sweet gods," Rhode stammered as she scrambled next to him in a panic, "Chiron, I-I am so sorry, I didn't- I mean-!" She was at a loss of words at how bad she screwed up.

"I-It's fine." Chiron grunted out, forcing a smile despite his manly tears, "It is not the first time this has happened and it will most likely not be the last. Besides, it is only excruciatingly painful." He supplied as some kids from Cabin Seven came by with a stretcher and loaded Chiron on. He turned to Atlanta, "My dear, continue the lesson. I will return when I can." With his instructions given, they hustled him to the infirmary at the Big House.

Feeling the eyes of everyone on her, Rhode turned around with a sheepish look on her face, "Well, that was a thing." She said, waving the bow.

Everyone took a step back, as if she was armed with a tactical nuke.

Seeing this, the daughter of Poseidon gained an annoyed look, "Oh, come on, I haven't even got it notched!"

That just made everyone take three more steps back.

"Oh you guys suck!" Rhode cried out, throwing the bow to the ground. And, in an act of vengeance, the bow bounced off the ground and hit Rhode square in the forehead.

"Ow!"

* * *

With her hands stuffed in her pockets, Rhode walked through the camp with hunched shoulders as some campers snickered at her as she passed by. Her beanie was pulled down, covering the red spot on her forehead.

Stupid bow, stupid archery.

Sending them her best uber death glare, Rhode headed over to Cabin Six to check up on Annabeth. Maybe they could hang out since everyone else was being a snickering jerk!

She was right near Cabin Five (dancing around the minefield of course) when she happened upon a strange sight.

"Fergus." She greeted the tank-like son of Ares, who had gotten even taller over the summer. Like, five ten now or something.

"Oh," the Scottish-born son of war blinked, "Lass," he soon grinned like a fool, "How's it going?"

"Yeah, fine, but," Rhode pointed next to him, "Your horses, they're on fire." She said with some worry. She did love her ponies after all.

"Oh," Fergus chuckled, no worry on his face, "They're my dad's. The whole thing's his war chariot."

The chariot was red and gold, and had pictures of people dying painful deaths adorning it. Definitely something fit for a war god like Ares. It had four fire-breathing horses with manes of fire and coats of the darkest black she'd ever seen ready to trample anything in their path as it pulled the death machine.

"So, why it is here?" Rhode asked, getting closer and poking the image of a guy getting impaled. Very detailed, even his face was twisted in anguish.

"Well," Fergus grinned that devil may cry smile of his, leaning on the rim of the chariot, "See, my dad's got a test for his sons. When they turn fifteen, like I have today, they get to drive his war chariot from dawn till dusk. Kinda like a rite of passage and whatnot." He shrugged, "Then I got to bring it back to his temple, the Intrepid."

"That's a bit sexist." The daughter of the sea frowned.

"Have you met Ares?"

"No." Rhode shook her head.

"Well, I have, once. He's awesome." Fergus grinned, then paused, frowning, "But he's also kinda a douche." He then smiled wildly, "Basically he's an awesome douche."

"…Okay." Rhode said slowly and then tried talking to the fiery horses.

Not the best idea.

The daughter of Poseidon staggered back, her mouth ajar, "What did you just call me?!" she snapped at one of the lead horses.

It nickered right back, getting the rest to buck and whine.

"Oh, oh you want to play it that way, huh?" Rhode scowled at them, "Watch it buddy, or I'll douse you and that puny flaming mane you got going on."

The horse snorted out some flames, whining at her.

"I don't care if you're Ares' lovechild gone wrong! I will turn you into glue, dad's sacred animal or not." Rhode said, getting right in its face. She was not taking no flak from a horse.

Fergus just looked between them, "Uh, lass, you okay?"

"Be sure to crack the whip on this one hard, Fergus, and pray we don't meet again." She spat near its hoof, getting it to foam at the mouth at her.

"Yeah, I'm just gonna go." Fergus said, not wanting to see a fight. Well, normally he would, but he wanted to ride this chariot. Hitting a button, the horses melted into the chariot, which changed into a classic looking red and black mustang with flames designs…with Caucasian human skin looking leather seats. "Sweet." Fergus gushed and hit the horn, getting a Road Runner honk, "Okay, official most epic ride, in the history of ever." The son of war pulled out a pair of sunglasses and put them on. He turned to Rhode and hollered out a, "See ya later! Whoo!" As he peeled out of the cabins area and drove right through the barrier and ran over a goose, splattering it into gore.

Rhode rolled her eyes, typical Fergus. She walked across the center of the open area between the cabins, and saw Gaige walking around with what looked like a new kid. He was around Rhode's height, if a bit taller. He was of African American descent with short black hair, wide shoulders and hands fit for a basketball player.

Curious, Rhode walked up to them, "Gaige, hey!" she waved, getting the older girl to grin at her.

"Rhode! How's it going?" She asked, nudging Rhode's shoulder.

"Good," the daughter of the sea nodded, looking at her company, "New kid?" she asked, the guy had that new kid look, awed by everything around the camp.

Gaige nodded, her pigtails bouncing, "Oh yeah, my newest minio-er, sibling." She quickly corrected, "Charles Beckendorf, eleven years old."

"It's twelve and, um, just Beckendorf." The boy said in a reserved tone, holding out his large palm to Rhode. The daughter of Poseidon returned the gesture.

"Or as I like to call him, Chucky." Gaige grinned, ruffling the kid's head.

'Chucky' scowled at her, making Gaige's grin widened, "Please don't call me that."

"Ha!" the daughter of the smith barked out, "I'm head counselor of our cabin, Chucky. I give all our sibs nicknames. Like Ratchet, Bit, and Turbo," Gaige counted off thoughtfully with her fingers, "Bolt, Vice, you know, just all kinds of names." She grinned, hands on her hips, looking quite pleased with her nicknaming talent.

Charles leaned towards Rhode, "Is she always like this?" he whispered.

Rhode snorted. Gaige, well, the best way to explain her was just saying she had a lot of screws loose, "You get used to it."

"That's not helpful." The newest son of the smith muttered with a knitted brow.

Rhode just gave his shoulder a sympathetic pat.

"Come Chucky, I gotta show you the forges." Gaige said, getting a twinkle to shine in Charles' eyes.

"Sure." The boy said, quickly following after Gaige.

"Bye, Rhode!" Gaige waved as she went on to tell Charles about how he could make his own hammer of epic doom.

Shaking her head, Rhode finally reached the Athena Cabin. It was a blue and gold building with an owl carved over the doorway with plain white curtains hanging in the windows. Walking up the steps, Rhode rapped her knuckles against the door.

A moment later, Nils opened the door, giving off that small knowing smile, "Ah, Rhode. Greetings." He inclined his head kindly.

"Sup, Nils." Rhode said, hands in her pockets, "How was college?"

Nils' smile was glowing, "Wonderful."

See, Nils was wicked smart, like, even more so than even an average child of Athena. He graduated high school at age twelve, and had been going to college ever since. From what Annabeth told her, he was going to MIT and already had a Masters Degree under his belt, and was nearly done with his second one.

"That's cool," Rhode nodded with a smile, "So, um-"

"Here to check on Annabeth I take it?"

Rhode flushed, "That obvious?" she asked with an awkward smile, hating to be read so easily.

"For this instance, yes." Nils nodded, "Would you like to see her?" he said, shifting his body as if to invite her in.

Rhode gave him a weary look, "Your mom's not going to death beam me if I do, right?"

Athena and Poseidon had some (very stupid in Rhode's opinion) rivalry between them. It was over olives and horses, pretty dumb. So, most of the Athena kids were brief with her. Especially some new kid named James, who was a major tool or as Fergus enjoyed calling him, a total douche nugget. Only Annabeth and Nils himself were cool with Rhode.

"I'm pretty sure she won't." Nils assured gently.

"Fine, but if she does, I am so haunting you." Rhode pointed at him accusingly, giving a mock glare.

"I'll prepare myself." Nils nodded good-naturedly and let her in.

The inside of the cabin had a workshop and a library, with bunk beds pushed up against the wall, as if sleeping didn't matter very much. The library was filled with thousands of books and old scrolls, as well as tables and chairs for Athena's children to study and read. The workshop was also filled with tables and workbenches, with cupboards filled with materials to build things.

"We actually need your help with something," Nils said, getting a surprised look from Rhode that made him chuckle, "Just because we're children of the wisdom goddess, doesn't make us all knowing, Rhode." He said in a humbled tone.

It was reasons like that, that made Nils one of the most respected kids in camp. Seriously, if you had a problem, just ask Nils. He was always there willing to lend a hand, give out some advice, and just in general, be a very good person. And he was also one of the best swordsmen in camp. The guy could flow like water with a blade.

"With what?" Rhode asked as they went to Annabeth's bunk.

"This." The young adult gestured with his hand towards Annabeth.

The young girl was sitting cross-legged in her bunk, eyes locked onto the object in her hands.

A Game Boy Advance with a crystal blue game cartridge in it.

Nils sighed, "She's been playing that thing for the past few months now. She still trains, though lacking somewhat, but when she has any free time, she goes right back to it. Maybe you can talk some sense into her to tone down the gameplay. The device is Cabin property so I could confiscate it, but… Well, I don't want to hurt her feelings. But I'm going to have to do it if she keeps this up." He said and turned his head to Rhode, "If you do, I can help you with your math problem." He offered with an amused smile.

Rhode grimaced. She had gotten her grades back from Chiron the day after she arrived at camp. Lee ended up with B's, Su with A's, and herself?

Well, the daughter of the sea did pretty average in most of her subjects, straight C+'s, but American History and Math, she bombed badly, D-'s. Still, for a girl three years out of school, it was good Chiron had said. She just needed to study more.

Why didn't he ask her to just pull her teeth out? It'd be less painful.

"I'll think on that offer." The daughter of the sea said in a dry retort. Nils nodded and left her with Annabeth. Sitting on the bunk, she tapped her shoulder, "Hey Bethy."

"Hey Rhode." The young blonde said absentmindedly, but jumped, swirling around, "Rhode?! When did you get here?"

Resting her elbows on her knees and cupping her cheeks, Rhode said, "About two minutes ago." Her eyes swimming with mirth.

"I didn't even notice." Annabeth mumbled with a knitted brow. Wow, Rhode was really good at stealth.

"So," Rhode started off, looking at all the colorful charts pinned around Annabeth's bunk, "What's all this you got going on?"

Annabeth's smile was blinding, her grey eyes glittering with excitement, "Pokémon!"

"Eh?" Rhode said, making a curious sound, "So how good are you at it?"

Annabeth's chest puffed up, "I'm so good, I made Paul from Apollo cabin cry." She bragged.

"Well, I guess a kid would if he lost that badl-"

"Paul's fourteen." The young blonde informed her, getting Rhode to blink, stunned by the declaration.

"Um, well, okay." Rhode said, a bit confused that a fourteen year old would cry over a videogame. "So what brought this on?" she asked, taking a piece of paper, reading some sort of stat sheet. "Huh, you're really into this."

"Sammy showed it to me a while back," she said, talking about one of her sisters around her age, "And of course I would be!" Annabeth affirmed, "It's a rock, paper, scissor strategy game!" she exclaimed with childish excitement, "The number of things you can do is amazing! The well thought out detail put into the game is great! Plus," a dark flash went across her face, "I have to beat her."

"Who?"

"Tammy." Annabeth said darkly with narrowed eyes, as if speaking of some kind of arch nemesis.

Rhode pointed at her, "Isn't that a girl from Cabin Ten?" she said in remembrance.

"Yes!" Annabeth threw her hands in the air, "Her dad, he got her a GameShark. She leveled one hundred all her Pokémon, who are all Legendaries, completely forgoing her starter! And each one of them knows Hyper Beam. She's been beating all the trainers in camp! No skill, no well thought out strategy, just ugly brute force, it's a disgrace! It's just so cheap, like her perfume!" the daughter of Athena stated the 'atrocities' of the daughter of Aphrodite.

 _Trainers? What on Earth is she talking about?_ Rhode cocked her head to the left, "Sounds like big trouble."

Annabeth nodded furiously, her blonde curls bouncing, "It is! She's been so smug about it." She clenched her little fists, "I'm going to whoop her butt so badly, she'll go crying to daddy." She said with utmost seriousness, well, as serious as an eight year old could sound.

Rhode gently rested her hand on Annabeth's shoulder, "Maybe you should take a small break." She suggested.

Annabeth looked flabbergasted, "But, at the rate I'm going, my schedule says I'll have my perfect counter team in two weeks! Then I can put Tammy in the ground!" she puffed up, grabbing a colorful chart, "See!" she waved it in front of Rhode's face.

Taking the paper from Annabeth, she gave it a brief look before looking at Annabeth seriously, "Bethy, I get it. Games are fun." Rhode herself never got to play that many, only having had the chance to do so those times she and Thalia managed to get some arcade tokens or some quarters to spare. "But you've got to train too." She stressed with utmost importance.

"B-But I have to be the best! I gotta catch them all, it's in the theme song!" the young blonde argued as if it was some holy truth.

"Have you been training like we promised?" Rhode asked her, getting a surprised blink from Annabeth, "I thought we had a deal?"

"I-I have." Annabeth mustered out. At Rhode's raised eyebrow, the daughter of Athena averted her eyes, "Maybe not as much as I should." She admitted while fiddling with her thumbs.

Rhode dropped the paper in her hand and wrapped an arm around Annabeth's shoulder, pulling her into her side, "I know you want to have fun, and you can, but you need to tone it down somewhat. Moderation, sound like a plan?" she asked the young girl.

Annabeth thought on it for a moment and wrapped her arms around Rhode's waist, giving her a tight hug, "A plan worthy of Athena." She affirmed.

Rhode gave her a wink, "Hey, I'm going to javelin practice. Want to join in?"

"Yeah!" the blonde agreed instantly, "Let's go!" she said, hopping to her feet and was practically at the door already, "Come on!" she rushed.

"Alright, alright." Rhode laughed and got to her feet, walking towards her at a far more sedate pace. Passing the threshold of the door, they headed to the range.

"How was archery? You were really excited about it." Annabeth innocently asked with ever curious eyes.

Rhode shifted her eyes away, unable to meet her friend's gaze, "Er…"

* * *

It was around mid-June now and it was finally Friday, time for Capture the Flag.

Rhode had gone to Diagon Alley a few days earlier with Lee and met the money manager that the son of Hermes' mum had set up. He had helped Rhode set up an account in the States that she could use to get spending money. She had at least three thousand dollars in the bank now. That was more money than she'd ever had when she was on the streets and she honestly didn't know how to spend it all. Her magical money was doing pretty good too.

It was odd to think of her trip to Diagon just before a CTF match, but in Rhode's mind at least the two things were similar. Both gave her the chance to move her body after sitting down for so long. Sure she exercised and trained, but those were in more controlled environments and were a far cry from being in the outside world or during CTF. Rhode found both those things exhilarating.

So it was with a great deal of excitement that she waited for the match to begin. The match was set up as, as usual, Ares versus Athena. Rhode had ended up with the unlucky draw of creek defense, even if it was where she was strongest. At least she had some backup in the trees with bows and arrows. Stupid bows, they were so picky.

Nils had left with a small team to get the flag. Currently, Rhode was wishing he would hurry the heck up!

With a cry, Rhode lashed out with her right hand, sending a blast of water from the creek to hit Luke, who was holding onto the Athena flag.

The son of Hermes dodged left and right as Rhode kept him and some of his siblings at bay.

"Locomotor Mortis!" Rhode exclaimed as she slashed with her wand, hitting one of Luke's sisters with the leg-locking curse, making her face kiss the ground.

"Magic is so cheap." Luke complained as he held up his hide coated shield, utterly disregarding the small pinging noises as arrows fired from members of the Apollo cabin in the trees.

Rhode was thankful, they were the best kind of backup she could ask for right now.

"It's not that cheap," The daughter of Poseidon countered as she felt something bump into her. She gave the Hermes kids a grin. "We win."

"What? But you don't have the flag!" Lee exclaimed with a frown.

"Yeah I do. Right, Bethy?" Rhode nudged her hip to the left, getting a childish giggle.

Annabeth's head appeared out of nowhere, just a floating giggling head, "Oh yeah!" she said and let a cloth slip off her like liquid silk, holding up the red team's flag, a silvery cloak pooling around her ankles that made it look like she had no feet. "Being invisible rocks!" The blonde smiled.

"Not that thing!" Lee palmed his face as Chiron blew the conch horn, signaling the end of the match.

Rhode and Annabeth gave each other a double high-five as the young daughter of Athena was scooped up and cheered on for winning the match.

Rhode laughed at the scene and picked up the silvery cloak lying innocently on the ground. It was the object that Dumbledore had given her for Christmas. An invisibility cloak. After having a child of Hecate check it out, it turned out to have a tracker on it. So in exchange for examining it and the powerful magic it was imbued with, he and his siblings had taken it off for her. Rhode let them since they helped her out for free by checking it in the first place and she soon got it back anyways. She had to say, it was a great tool, not really her style, but great for when stealth was needed.

She looked from the cloak to Annabeth, who had a laurel on her head that kept tilting since it was a tad big for her. Luke walked up next to her, a pout on his face. Rhode rolled her eyes and punched his arm lightly, "Come on, stop pouting."

"I was so close." The blond boy said, but still, he was smiling, "Look at her, not a care in the world." He said softly with a smile as they watched their young friend laughing.

"She's lucky," Rhode told him, "She didn't have to survive as long as we had to out there. She still has enough innocence to be a kid." Her voice was soft, a gentle touch to it.

Luke stuck his hands in his pockets, "I know." He agreed. They both watched Annabeth get tossed in the air with cheers.

It was a good sight, but it also reminded them of what they had lost over the years.

* * *

It was an early morning on June twenty-first, the summer solstice.

Rhode was actually a bit nervous right now. Chiron had called her up to the Big House right after breakfast.

Now, the daughter of Poseidon was pretty sure she didn't do something. This time. Maybe.

Opening the screen door, Rhode poked her head in, "Yo, Chiron, you here?" she asked, looking around.

"In the Rec-Room, Rhode." Chiron's voice called over as she walked in.

"Okay, I just want to say now, I didn't do it, that I was framed, and I demand my lawyer…" she trailed off at seeing a man sitting at the Ping-Pong table with Chiron. Huh, that's right, since it was the solstice, Mr. D wasn't around. He was up on Olympus with the other Olympians for the summer solstice meeting.

Rhode had an odd feeling that she was one of the topics being discussed at said meeting.

Anyway, back to the man sitting with Chiron. He was dressed in a sleek black suit and tie, hiding a lean and muscular body, like he was dressed for a funeral. But it was his face that was the real eye catcher. It was regal and beautiful in a way that only a god could be. He had honey gold eyes with shoulder length black hair that gave off the feeling that they were shadows but which, somehow, still complimented his teakwood colored skin.

When his eyes cut to hers, Rhode felt defensive, like he was looking into her soul or something.

"So, who's our guest?" the daughter of Poseidon asked Chiron as she walked up the table, taking a cautious seat before the god.

"I am Thanatos." The god introduced himself.

 _The god of death,_ Rhode thought, a frown on her face, "That's good. I have a complaint to file." She said, getting a bewildered look from Chiron. "So there's this guy, Voldefart or whatever. He was supposed to be dead, but he's kind of not. What's up with that?" She bluntly asked. It sounded like someone dropped the ball there.

"Chiron, I must say today's heroes are…straightforward." The god of death smoothly said, his face unmoving.

Chiron gave an awkward smile, "Well, Rhode is a very straightforward girl."

"I see." Thanatos laced his fingers together on the table, "In regards of Voldemort as he called himself, that is why I am here. Sometimes there are cracks in the system." He began to explain, "Tom Marvolo Riddle exploited one such crack. He made use of an ugly magic known as a Horcrux, the ability to break his soul and tie pieces of it to physical objects. These objects serve as anchors that prevent him from moving on to the afterlife as he rightfully should."

"Oh?" Rhode said, propping an elbow on the table, leaning her cheek in her palm, "Like what?"

"Like this." Thanatos said as he stood up, and before Rhode could even act, he held a long digit on her lightning bolt scar.

It was as if a white hot knife was sawing into her brain, Rhode gripped the Ping-Pong table with a startled howl of unworldly pain.

Thanatos' fingers sank into her head as if it was Silly Putty, digging around. Rhode's eyes looked upward in horror, sweat rolling down her face from the pain, her mind questioning what was going on as he slowly pulled out. His index finger and thumb holding a wriggling black worm that was letting out small shrieks.

As soon as he was fully out of her head, Rhode's face slumped to the table, sea green eyes wide and unnerved. And slightly mentally scarred, perhaps even literally.

"Huh," Thanatos said, looking at Rhode, "Most people would have passed out from that." He said as an off handed compliment, "But that is good, now we can talk."

Chiron on the other hand was looking over Rhode, who was shaky and pale. She brushed his hands off, saying she was fine. She used her hands to lift up her body, glaring heatedly at the god.

But he didn't even blink at her glare. "Now, this, is a Horcrux." He explained, "Normally, Voldemort tied them to inanimate objects, but you were a special case."

"Go figure." Rhode muttered, the shaking finally subsiding as she tried to get her heart rate back to normal.

"When he attempted to kill you, your mother's sacrificial spell saved you, forcing his killing curse to rebound back at him." The death god explained smoothly. So Dumbledore's drivel had a lick of truth huh? Amazing. "In that state, a fraction of his soul latched onto the nearest object. You." Thanatos said and crushed the worm, killing it, black goo splattering the table.

"Lord Thanatos." Chiron said, a sour note in his voice, "I would appreciate it if you did _not_ get souls of the damned all over my Ping-Pong table." He tersely informed the god.

"Ah," the god said. He waved his hand and the black goo was gone. He laced his fingers once more and addressed Rhode, "He currently has five more scattered about the United Kingdom. Thus, I propose a quest for you."

Rhode narrowed her eyes at the god, "I don't really get a choice here, do I?"

"No." the god bluntly said, getting Rhode to click her tongue in irritation. She hated being told what to do.

Even if it was a god telling her what to do.

"Why?" Rhode asked rudely, "Last I checked, cleaning up the dead was your job." She leaned back in her chair, arms crossed in a show of defiance.

Thanatos gave a solid blink, the only sign of his mild shock. It wasn't often for a god, even a minor one like himself, to be turned down when offering a quest to a demigod. Rhode didn't look like she was going to back down though, she was looking right into his eyes, so he would need to try a different approach.

It was then, from his back, sprung dark wings glimmering in shades of blue, black, and purple. He reached back and plucked a dark toned feather, kneading it in his palm.

He opened his hand, showing a cellphone that was labeled BlackBerry.

"A BlackBerry Seven-Two-Ten." Thanatos said, "You will be receiving this for your quest."

"Uh, last I checked, cellphones were plastic flares that tell monsters: Here I am, eat me." Rhode stated, knowing that technology was a real kick to the pants for half-bloods.

"This is a godly cellphone, it is not subjected to mortal limitations. Therefore, it does not flare your location when in use." The death god sniffed at her, "With this, you will be able to track the Horcruxes." He held it out to her.

Rhode stared at it for a moment and reached out, grabbing it, weighing it in her hand, "So I'll have to give it back to you once this is all over?"

"No," Thanatos shook his head, "It is yours to keep."

"So, a bribe?" the green eyed girl asked as she gave a low whistle. "You play some hard ball, Mr. Death God."

"Essentially, yes. Is it working?"

Rhode cradled the phone in her fingers, this...this was a powerful thing. With phones out of reach for half-bloods with the dangers it brings, something like this was priceless for any demigod.

The daughter of the sea looked at the god of death critically, "That depends, this thing got Dig Dug?" she held it up.

"Yes." Thanatos nodded.

"Well, I guess I can do some sort of quest for you." She said with a casual shrug, trying to play it cool. But mainly, she'd already made up her mind the moment the phone was offered. This phone was possibly the most powerful item she'd ever run across due to its sheer usefulness. If she let it slip through her fingers, she'd be the most stupid half-blood in history.

"Then it's time you consulted the Oracle," Chiron spoke up, who was quiet throughout the exchange of words. "Go upstairs, Rhode, to the attic. When you come back down, assuming you're still sane, we will talk more."

"That's real encouraging, Chiron." Rhode told him dryly, but still pushed out of her chair, pocketing her new cellphone.

The centaur just gave her an apologetic smile.

Four flights up, the stairs ended under a green trapdoor.

She pulled the cord. The door swung down, and a wooden ladder clattered into place.

The warm air from above smelled like mildew and rotting wood and something else ... a smell that reminded Rhode of some of the bigger monsters she had fought. Reptiles. The smell of snakes.

Rhode held her breath and ascended.

The attic was filled with Greek hero stuff: armor stands covered in cobwebs; once-bright shields pitted with rust; old leather steamer trunks plastered with stickers saying ITHAKA, CIRCE'S ISLE, and LAND OF THE AMAZONS. One long table was stacked with glass jars filled with pickled things—severed hairy claws, huge yellow eyes, and various other parts of monsters. A dusty mounted trophy on the wall looked like a giant snake's head, but with horns and a full set of shark's teeth. The plaque read, HYDRA HEAD #1, WOODSTOCK, N.Y., 1969.

By the window, sitting on a wooden tripod stool, was the most gruesome memento of all: a mummy. Not the wrapped-in-cloth kind, but a human female body shriveled to a husk. She wore a tie-dyed sundress, lots of beaded necklaces, and a headband over long black hair. The skin of her face was thin and leathery over her skull, and her eyes were glassy white slits, as if the real eyes had been replaced by marbles; she'd been dead a long, long time.

Rhode clenched her fists, standing firm before it. In the next second, the mummy sat up on her stool and opened her mouth. A green mist poured from the mummy's mouth, coiling over the floor in thick tendrils, hissing like twenty thousand snakes. Suddenly, a voice rang out in her mind slithering into one ear and coiling around her brain: **I am the spirit of Delphi, speaker of the prophecies of Phoebus Apollo, slayer of the mighty Python. Approach, seeker, and ask.**

Rhode steadied her breath as she felt her instincts get jumpy. The mummy wasn't alive. She was some kind of gruesome vessel for something else, the power that was now swirling around her in the green mist. But its presence didn't feel evil, like the many monsters she had fought in her life. It felt ancient and powerful. But not particularly interested in killing her, either.

That was always a plus in her books.

Rhode calmed her nerves and asked, "So, what do I have to do?"

The mist swirled more thickly, collecting right in front of her, changing the mummy's appearance.

Rhode's breath hitched as a familiar spiky mat of raven black hair sat atop a familiar face with a splash of freckles across her nose. Her pale features were highlighted in the green mist as she was in all black attire, even the leather jacket that was tied around the daughter of the sea's waist. But what really hit Rhode were the piercing electric blue eyes that were glowing with power, no doubt from the figure who morphed into her.

It was Thalia.

Shakily, Rhode wanted to reach out to her, tears started to swell, but she soon stopped herself.

It was an illusion, made out of green mist.

Biting her lip, heartache stabbed her as Rhode wiped the coming tears away quickly, glaring at this thing that was wearing her friend's body like a costume.

The Thalia simulacrum looked at her, that familiar cocky grin on her face, as it spoke in the rasping voice of the Oracle: **Titan's bane rains down unto thee,**

**Within enigma's book lies the key.**

**By the dragon's roar does wisdom soar,**

**A visit to Riddle's tomb leads to nevermore.**

_Huh, guess those books were right. The Oracle never makes any sense._ Rhode thought as the words of her prophecy bounced around her head.

The image of Thalia began to dissolve. Rhode's sea green eyes were narrowed in thought as the mist retreated, coiling into a huge green serpent and slithering back into the mouth of the mummy. As the tail of the mist snake disappeared into the mummy's mouth, it reclined back against the wall. Her mouth closed tight, as if it hadn't been open in a hundred years. The attic was silent again, abandoned, nothing but a room full of forgotten mementos.

"Thanks." Rhode said gruffly as she turned around, her audience with the Oracle was over.

* * *

"Well?" Chiron asked her as she came back down stairs and leaned into a chair.

"I don't like her." Rhode started off with a frown. Stupid hippie zombie, she didn't like zombies now.

"Not many do." Thanatos said, his boss was one of them. "Now, the prophecy?"

Rhode recited it, word for word. She knew you couldn't mess with this stuff.

Chiron rubbed his chin, "Titan's bane…I do not like this." He frowned, anything to do with the titans in general was not good, but something that was a bane? It was a worrying line for a prophecy, the first to boot.

"Yes, but I'm sure the daughter of Poseidon can manage." Thanatos waved off Chiron's concern.

"Thanks." Rhode told the god sarcastically, good to know her wellbeing mattered so much to him.

"Of course there is the risk of a dragon as well." Chiron pursed his lips.

"I hate dragons." Rhode sighed out, palming her cheek, leaning on her elbow, "They're really annoying to kill."

"Ah, yes, they are." The centaur remarked dryly.

Thanatos cleared his throat, "The first location I would suggest would be in Little Hangleton, for my ring."

"Wha?" Rhode blinked, making the god purse his lips.

"To make a long story short, a long time ago, some dim mortals thought they could make a fool of me. I tricked them, 'rewarding' them with 'gifts'." He quoted with his fingers.

"Ah, I recall that story," Chiron commented, getting a dark look from Thanatos before the god continued.

"A wand of unparalleled power by mortal standards, a stone that brings forth shades of deceased loved ones, and finally, a cloak of invisibility that hides its owner, even from me." The death god said softly. In a silvery flash, he was holding Rhode's invisibility cloak.

"That's-!" Rhode said in surprise, but Thanatos halted her words with nothing but a gesture.

"Yes, this is a piece of my very own cloak." The god said.

 _Well, that explained why it's so powerful._ Rhode thought, "So, you have other items?"

The god nodded, "Yes, Tom Riddle turned the stone now set as a ring into a Horcrux whilst my wand is in the hands of someone you might know, Albus Dumbledore."

That got a displeased look from Rhode, "Oh, that's just great!" the scion of the sea said as she threw her hands in the air.

"Why in the world would you do that?" Chiron asked the god dryly.

"One, it was funny." Thanatos listed, "And two, great power corrupts even the purest of souls." He shrugged listlessly, "It's entertainment one could say."

"…Dark." Rhode surmised.

"Indeed." The god nodded and handed the cloak back to her.

"So, since the things are in the UK, I guess I have to stay at Hogwarts?" Rhode asked with a sour look.

"Indeed. It is the best option available to you." Thanatos said in his emotionless tone.

"Were you considering not returning, Rhode?" Chiron asked curiously.

"A little. Not seriously I mean." Rhode said honestly. "The place is just so full of drama, what with the old man wanting to control me and all the other silly stuff the wizards want from me. Plus I had to kill a man there last year. So going back there doesn't exactly give me the warm fuzzies, you know?"

"I see." Chiron started before he caught onto something Rhode said. "Wait, you killed someone?"

"She did." Thanatos replied on Rhode's behalf. "A man named Quirrell, a possessed servant of Riddle's. Rather messy kill too. But it was in self-defense whilst on a mission to stop him from stealing a powerful artifact."

"Rhode! Are you alright?" Chiron inquired, clearly rustled. "Why did you not tell me about it?"

Rhode shrugged. "Didn't think it was important."

"Rhode that's…" Chiron began but stopped as he took a moment to compose himself. "Rhode, we'll have words about this later. Now you were saying you might not want to go back to Hogwarts?"

"Yeah. I was thinking I could maybe go to a magic school here in the States, like some of the Hecate kids and other magical campers do. But then I remembered that if I did that, Su and Lee would be at Hogwarts without me and I just couldn't do that to them." Rhode confessed.

"I see. That's good then." Chiron said, before sternly continuing. "We'll talk about this more later though, don't you forget it."

"Yes, Chiron." Rhode replied obediently, cowed by the trainer's stern visage.

"Well then, the only thing left to do is select your quest members, Rhode." Chiron informed in a calmer tone, "You may pick two other campers to occupancy you."

"Actually," Thanatos interjected. "That might not be best in this case."

"Lord Thanatos, you can't mean to send her on this quest alone!" Chiron inquired aghast.

"Of course not," Thanatos clarified. "I merely mean that this quest will likely not be concluded easily and that having her permanently assigned companions may be premature."

"What do you want me to do then?" Rhode cut in, earning her a look from Chiron.

"I'd recommend, and this is only a recommendation, that you be flexible on who you take with you whenever you go after a Horcrux. I want this quest to succeed after all." The Death God admitted.

"This is highly irregular." Chiron said with narrowed eyes.

"Perhaps. However, the girl isn't known for following rules is she? This will better ensure success." The psychopomp refuted.

"Very well." Chiron reluctantly agreed. "In that case, Rhode, do you have anyone in mind for now at least? Lord Thanatos would like you to set off for his ring today, no?" He concluded as he said this, looking at the minor god who nodded in response.

Rhode knitted her brow in thought for a moment and smirked, "I've already got them in mind."

"Good. Then perhaps you can go inform them about this quest?" Chiron suggested. "You wouldn't want to drop this on them when you need them."

"Sure Chiron, I'll go tell them now." She said as got out of her chair and waved a quick goodbye as she headed to Cabin Eleven. As she walked away she heard Chiron and Thanatos get into a surprisingly civil but still clearly heated argument.

The Hermes Cabin was the oldest and the most worn-looking out of all the cabins. It was brown and had paint peeling off the sides. You had to be thankful that Mr. D didn't let any wind storms blow around camp, because the first cabin to go would be this one, that was for sure. It didn't just house the children of the messenger god, but it was also the home for all the unclaimed demigods, as well as the children of the minor gods, since they didn't have their own cabins. Basically, it was cramped twenty-four seven and you usually ended up with someone's foot in your face as you slept.

"So, you need quest members." Lee said, grinning with crossed arms against his cabin's door.

"How'd you even find out so fast?" Rhode asked with bewilderment.

"You got the summer's quest, that was going to get around fast, trust me." Lee assured, "Everyone wants in on the summer quest, it's like _the_ thing to do." He waved his hand then pointed to himself, "And I already know why you're here. You need a young dashing roguish son of Hermes. And I just happen to be available."

"Nope." Rhode simply said, getting Lee to falter.

"What?!"

Rhode poked her head into the Hermes Cabin, "I need Luke." She and Luke had fought side by side for so long, he was the first choice for a quest member. Zero doubt in her mind.

"But we rocked back at school!" Lee argued.

"Nope."

"…It's because he's a blond, isn't it?" Lee accused Rhode scathingly.

Rhode just rolled her eyes, "Luke, you in or what?" she asked, since he no doubt heard her with Lee's obnoxious shouting.

"What's the quest?" Luke asked, getting out of his worn out bunk bed.

Rhode gave him the short version.

Luke, humming, nodded, "Sure. Just let me get set up."

"Cool," Rhode nodded, "Meet up at the campfire. I'll get our last member."

Luke raised an eyebrow, "Who?"

Rhode just grinned. As she left though she turned to Lee, "Oh and Lee, as you might have heard, this quest is a long term gig. So maybe next time?"

"Oh now you remember me?" Lee said in mock offense. "Sure, say the word and I'm your man. Good luck today!"

"Who could ever forget your loud mouth?" Rhode said teasingly, a twinkle in her almond shaped eyes as she dashed to her cabin to prepare. "And thanks!"

* * *

"Me?" Su blinked as she was dusting some dirt off her hands as she finished potting a plant, "Are you certain?" She asked shyly.

"Duh," Rhode smiled at her, "You rocked back at school, plus having a second witch around would be nice."

"Why not ask Lee though?" Su frowned.

"One too many sons of Hermes." Rhode said with a teasing smile, "I can only take so much mischief at once."

Su nodded, the children of Hermes did enjoy making a ruckus.

Rhode then told her about the quest, getting a serious look from Su.

"So we get to thwart Voldemort?"

"And put him six feet under for good." Rhode said with a thumbs down, a serious look in her eyes.

"I'm in."

* * *

Rhode was standing by the campfire, fiddling with her beanie and adjusting her nylon backpack. Currently though, she felt as though she kicked a puppy.

"But I wanna go." Annabeth whined. When word had gotten around that her older friend was given the summer's quest, the blonde was bouncing in excitement to go on Rhode's first quest!

But that went down the drain as fast as an ice cube would melt in the Sahara desert.

"Bethy," Rhode said softly, placing a hand under Annabeth's chin to get her to look up, "I know you do. But you're still little, you've got a lot of growing to do before you go on a quest. A lot to learn too."

"But, but-!" Annabeth tried to argue, but Rhode cut her off.

"Annabeth," Rhode's voice was stern, making the daughter of Athena wince. She hated that tone, it usually meant Rhode was going to scold her, "I know you don't like it. But that's life. We don't always get what we want." She said, her voice lost for a moment before returning. She locked those sea green eyes down at her and soon smiled, "When you get older, you, me, and Luke will all go on a quest together. I promise. Maybe if this quest drags on as long as Thanatos said it might, we can go after another of these stupid Horcrux thingies?" The daughter of Poseidon said, "Okay?"

Annabeth gave a reluctant nod, understanding. But she was still pouting with crossed arms.

"Good."

Luke walked up to them in more casual attire, like back when they were on the streets. Rhode felt a touch nostalgic. He had a sports bag strapped to his back, no doubt containing a celestial bronze sword.

Su was there a moment later, looking like she was going to go on a hike. She was wearing a rough leather satchel, no doubt carrying her wand, fan, and other goodies for the quest.

Chiron was there waiting, Floo powder in hand.

"I wish you luck, children." The trainer said, handing Rhode some British pound notes and a few drachma, "Keep watch over each other. Be swift, and above all else, return safely." He urged them.

"Yes, Chiron." The half-bloods nodded.

Saying their goodbyes to those around the campfire, Annabeth gave both Rhode and Luke hugs goodbye. She also gave Su a huffy look, which made the daughter of Demeter smile awkwardly.

Using the Floo powder, the demigods arrived at Platform Nine and Three Quarters.

"Let's head to the front," Rhode took directive, "They should have some cabs up there." Getting nods from the other two, they headed towards the far wall which let them pass through it to King's Cross Station. It was like going through liquid stone, weird. On the other side, they saw mortals bustling about, heading onto and off of trains, people talking loudly as whistles blew from the trains.

"Let's not get seperat-" Su started, but blinked, whirling around, only to find her fellow demigods were gone, "-ed." She finished in a soft tone. "Rhode? Luke?" she asked as she looked around, trying to find them as the throng of mortals passed around her. It was like they vanished into the crowd!

Su squeaked when a hand grabbed hers, only to see Rhode looking at her, "Come on, Su." She said.

"I, um, lost you." The daughter of Demeter said shyly.

"How?" Rhode said in bewilderment.

"Y-You just went into the crowd, and then suddenly you were gone!" Su said, cheeks pink from how poor the excuse was.

Rhode blinked, "Ah." She nodded, "Well, when you live on the streets for so long, you just learn how to vanish into a crowd. Sorry." She apologized, "Come on, let's go together." She said, holding onto Su's hand and led them towards the exit.

Su ducked her head, cheeks burning red from how childish she felt. It was embarrassing to be led by her hand.

Luke was waiting for them outside and asked, "What took so long?" he asked them.

"Su lost us." Rhode bluntly said, making the girl hang her head.

"…Seriously?" The son of Hermes asked, disbelief written plainly on his face.

"Hey," Rhode frowned at him, "She's not as street savvy as us, Luke." She said defending her friend, getting a small appreciative smile from Su.

Luke just shrugged. He fished out a red package from his pocket, tossing it to Rhode.

"Thanks," Rhode said, opening the bag of Skittles and started to eat some. She offered Luke some, but he shook his head.

"Where did you get that?" Su asked curiously.

"Stole it." The street smart demigods answered in unison.

Su looked uneasy, "S-Should we be doing that?" she asked them softly.

Luke frowned at her as Rhode said, "Su, the streets aren't always nice. You don't have to be nice back." She said like it was a life fact.

"Exactly." Luke nodded in agreement. The real world was harsh, you had to play on even grounds.

Su wanted to voice something against that, but held her tongue. She had lived a far softer life then the two other half-bloods. Saying that it was wrong would probably be insulting to them. Still, she just didn't feel it was the right thing to do.

"The cabs are over there." Luke pointed out to the circle of yellow taxis dropping people off and picking them up.

"Let's go." Rhode nodded, Su making sure to keep up with them.

Luke did all the talking and they got into the cab. Luke took shotgun as the girls buckled up in the back. Thus, they were off to Little Hangleton to find the Ring of Thanatos.

Su made some joke about Middle-Earth that Rhode didn't understand.

* * *

They had been driving for what seemed like hours to Rhode. Her face was squished against the window, groaning out, "Are we there yet?" you could detect a slight whine in her tone. She was fiddling with her digital camera, taking blur shots of the zooming wilderness.

"Twenty more minutes, missus." The cabby said with irritation. She had been asking that after the first ten minutes of their journey. At least the blond lad was a nice conversationalist.

Su was delighted at seeing the nature zoom by, enjoying the ride. She even tried to get Rhode to play Eye-Spy with her.

That died in like ten minutes. So she instead tried to strike up a conversation about her latest plant.

"Did I tell you about the Devil's Snare?" Su mentioned to her friend.

Rhode looked at her, "No, what happened to it?"

Su was delighted that her friend was interested in her latest pet, "Oh, Chiron was perfectly okay with it. Just as long no other campers went near it. We kept it in our Cabin for a few days, to let the cutting I brought back grow a bit. Then we found a wonderful dark and damp place in the forest for the main body. We also added smaller samples to the greenhouse."

"Is it behaving?" Rhode smirked.

"Of course!" Su nodded sternly, "Oh sure, it tried to strangle Becky from Hermes cabin when she tried to set off a stink bomb. Luckily our head counselor was there to save her."

"Good then." Rhode replied, happy for her friend. "So, think up any tactics on how to use it in a fight?"

"Nothing concrete yet." Su admitted with a thoughtful look, cupping her chin. "We've too busy getting it settled to experiment so far. I've got plenty of ideas though."

"You sound like Poison Ivy," Luke stated from the front.

"I do not!" Su squeaked out and looked flustered, she could never act like that, o-or even dress like that! It was too embarrassing!

The other demigods had a good laugh then at Su's obvious embarrassment as they easily pieced together what had got her blushing as red as a tomato. "You'd look cool though." Rhode added comfortingly.

"If you say so." Su replied hesitantly, shaking her head to banish the image from her mind.

Luke looked about ready to add his own reassuring reply, when a distant noise made Rhode sit up and put her camera away. She rolled down her window and heard it once more, but louder. "Rhode, what's going on?" He asked instead.

"You guys hear that?" she asked wearily, tensing up.

Luke went on full alert as Su asked, "Hear what?"

"Shh." Rhode told her quickly, concentrating. Hearing the noise once more, she said, "It's getting closer."

"What are you kids talking about?" asked the cabby.

Rhode ignored the man and was finally able to pick up the noise.

Mooing.

"Ah spume." Rhode blanched and saw something big, red, and charging through the woods, "BRACE!" she shouted at the top of her lungs. The demigods did as told and before the cabby could ask what was going on, they were rammed from the left, making the car flip over, bounce, flip once again, tilt, and then fall back right side up.

"We all okay?" Rhode asked as she cut off her belt with her dagger, quickly doing the same for Su.

"Y-Yes." Su said shaken, blinking in surprise.

"All good." Luke said, undoing his belt. He tried to open his door, but it was jammed, "Damn." He muttered and looked at the broken windshield. Raising his foot, he kicked it a few times, popping it off.

Rhode's door was jammed too, "Su, yours work? We need to get out." A loud moo got their attention, "Now!" she hurried.

Su fiddled with the door and it opened fine. The demigods all scattered out of the taxi and Su said, "The mortal?" she asked, worry clear in her tone.

"Knocked out, "Luke told her, taking out his sword as Rhode did the same with her trident. They turned to face the monster that collided with them.

It was a bull and it was a big. Like, twice the size of a regular one. Its hide was a burnt red color with nasty blue-grey eyes locked onto the half-bloods. Its large black horns stood erect, and looked a tad too eager to skewer them like shish kabob.

"Okay, dad, what the Hades?" Rhode muttered. Bulls were sacred to Poseidon, right? Then why the heck did they keep trying to kill her?!

"Scratch that, what is it?" Luke hissed under his breath, widening his footing as he slowly edged to the right, the monster's eyes following him, making the son of Hermes stop his movements.

"Tauroi Aithiopikoi." Su answered, getting blinks of confusion, "A Ethiopian Bull, native to Africa." She dutifully explained.

"It's kind of far from home." Rhode complained as the monster bellowed a mighty cry, charging at them. The demigods scattered just in time as the thing was fast, like zero to forty MPH in a second!

Su evaded the stampeding monster with a roll, only to see as she recovered that it had taken down about twenty trees from its charge.

That monster!

"What can it do?" Luke asked quickly, "Besides stampede us flat!"

"Um, well," Su murmured in though, "Very fast, ferocious, enjoys eating flesh." She listed off the top of her head.

"Wonderful!" Rhode said sarcastically, "Luke, go right!" she ordered, leaning towards the left.

"Gotcha." The son of Hermes said as they charged at the monster, who was coming right at them. The two demigods broke into their respective directions and with perfect teamwork, slashed the sides of the monster.

Only for their weapons to bounce off it.

"What?" Rhode gaped, getting her footing back from her rebounded strike.

"You can't penetrate its hide!" Su shouted, "It raises its bristles to defend itself from weapons!"

"Would've been helpful to know that first, Li!" Luke shouted and jumped through a shrub as the bull tried to put a hole through his chest.

"Sorry!" Su shouted, trying to think up a plan as her friends kept the monster at bay. Soon her eyes lit up. She got out of her cover and stood firm, "Hey, you big, uh, nasty bull you!" she insulted the best she could, it was surprisingly difficult. She managed to get the monster's attention though, "Yes, come and get me you stupid chubby tree killer!"

The bull snorted steam and charged at Su, making the other half-bloods exclaim their worry.

Su, eyes narrowed, flung her arms forward. Thick trunks of vines latched onto the bull during its charge. The bull mustered through them the best it could, but Su kept summoning more and more vines, finally managing to get it to stop by trapping it in a thick cocoon of foliage.

Concentrating, Su dug deep within herself as the vines suddenly bloomed black and purple flowers all over. Making a large bouquet of them around the beast as it tried, and failed, to thrash about.

"What's she doing?" Luke asked Rhode, who just shrugged. She was as confused as he was.

Then, the flowers started to give off some kind of purple miasma. The bull suddenly thrashed more wildly, giving off moos of pain and agony.

"Step back everyone!" Su shouted as the miasma spread out from the blossoms.

"…She's poisoning it." Rhode breathed, almond-shaped eyes wide, and back pedaled along with Luke. She didn't know Su could do that.

More and more dark plants bloomed, giving off more miasma until the bull finally croaked, turning into dust. The plants plopped to the ground. With a wave of her hand, Su dismissed the foliage and flowers, the winds scattering the purple cloud of poison. She panted, her face looking a tad flush.

All that was left of the bull was a horn.

"…Remind me not to get on Cabin Four's bad side." Luke whispered to Rhode as they jogged over to Su.

"You got it." The daughter of Poseidon returned as she pulled Su into a big hug, "Su, that was amazing!" she praised, getting a shy look from the daughter of Demeter.

"It wasn't all that special." Su said humbly, "Anyone from my cabin can do that with a little effort."

"Well, to the victor go the spoils." Rhode told her, looking at the horn, "Man, everyone's going to be jealous of that thing."

Su frowned in thought and looked around the destroyed area. She walked up to it, then knelt. "Um, hello? Mother?" she asked shyly, getting surprised looks from her fellow demigods, "This monster just destroyed all these trees. I was wondering, could you perhaps fix them?" she asked politely from the bottom of her heart, "This horn is all yours to have, but please fix these poor trees." She frowned in the direction of the destructive aftermath of the fight.

It was quiet for a few moments until the horn sank into the soil like it was quicksand, leaving the faint smell of honeysuckles and sunflowers in its place. The ground creaked and groaned at the site of the fallen trees and soon, thick, healthy trees came forth, bringing beauty to the area once more, perhaps even better than before.

"Thank you." Su whispered as she stood up, dusting her knees, "Well, we have a quest to finish, yes?" she asked the rest of the questers with a tilt of her head.

"Um, yeah." Rhode nodded, awed by seeing what the goddess of agriculture just did. "Let's keep going, the cabby said it was just up this road."

Luke and Rhode started to leave, but Su cleared her voice. It drew their attention as she pointed to the unconscious mortal. She crossed her arms, looking rather stern. Luke moved and checked on the guy, concluding he only had a nasty bump, nothing serious.

Rhode pulled out her godly cellphone, calling 999. After reaching the paramedics, she told them where they were so they could come pick up the poor guy. The lady on the other end told them to stay there, but the half-bloods were pretty sure they weren't going to.

"We can't just ditch the fare, can we?" Su asked them as they started walking.

Rhode shrugged, "We called him an ambulance. The Mist will fix things for us. Plus, we saved him from a monster that liked eating flesh. I say we worked for it. Right, Luke?" she turned her head to eye the blond son of Hermes.

Luke just gave a solid nod, "It's the balance of things, Li." He explained.

Su still had a tiny frown on her face. "But he wouldn't have been in danger in the first place if we weren't taking his cab!"

Rhode paused in her steps, a conflicted look on her face. Both her friends made good points. She mulled the two points of view. Luke's was that of the street kid that lived in a world where one had to look out for oneself and one's own family and noone else or die. Su on the other hand was looking at things from the perspective of someone who had the luxury of morals. Rhode's first instinct was to follow Luke's lead...but she couldn't. Not if she wanted to live true to her promise to move forward. She wasn't a street kid anymore. She couldn't live by those rules now.

Sighing, Rhode reached for her wallet and left the full fare and a small tip and even her leftover Skittles.

See? She was nice. The blindingly bright smile Su sent Rhode's way helped assuage her uneasiness at her decision a great deal.

* * *

After a good bit of walking, the questers finally made it to Little Hangleton. Using her phone and the tracking app that she'd found built into it after tinkering with it the whole walk over, Rhode was able to figure out that the Horcrux was in a place that belonged to a family named Gaunt. It had drawn some odd looks from Luke, but Su explained that more often than not, magical families had odd names. Like Weasley, or Longbottom. After asking around, Luke found out the family had pretty much died out, but had left behind a shack just outside of town that no one had bothered to demolish. Some nonsense about hauntings and such.

After another twenty minute walk through the woods, they stood before the most rundown little shack they had ever seen. And considering Luke's and Rhode's histories, that was saying something. Seriously, it was worst than all the makeshift shelters the homeless people they had run across had built.

"It makes my cabin look like a mansion." Luke commented wearily, he felt a tingle down his spine about the place. It just made his thieving senses go on edge.

The shack was small, dilapidated, and layered with thick dust and grime. Trees had grown around it, swallowing up most of the shack, and the walls were utterly drenched in moss that had long since spilled over onto the ground and many of the roofing tiles had fallen off so you could see the molded rafters. There was a dried up snake carcass nailed to the door too.

Rhode took a step forward, her Sherlock face on as she examined the shack. It no doubt had some sort of defenses on it, it was just the matter of figuring a way around them or perhaps disabling them. Though her limited skills might not be able to do the latter.

"Rhode Potter!" a voice squeaked, making the demigods spin around in surprise.

A three foot tall thing was right before them. It had large, tennis-ball-like green eyes, a pencil-like nose and long, bat-like pointed ears. It was oddly wearing a pillow case and mismatched socks.

"The heck are-" Rhode started when she took a step back. A step back too many. Her back pressed against the shack and something sprang to life, a ward perhaps. The air saturated with ozone as Rhode's hair stood on ends.

A violent shock went through her system as she screamed in pain. She was sent flying forward, thudding into the ground. Her vision was swimming, her hearing muffled. She felt her body flipped over, seeing Su's worried face just as she blacked out.

* * *

Opening her eyes, Rhode found herself on the beach with the multi colored sand from that dream the previous summer. The salt and pepper sand crunched beneath her sneakers as she spun around, seeing the vast ocean.

The storm that was there the last time continued to rage on, but it was even closer this time. Stronger, vaster, inky black clouds hovered and swirled around it, like a yawning black hole.

" **They will kill you, child."** That deep and powerful voice from last summer echoed along the stormy coast.

Rhode whirled around, "Who will?" she demanded, mustering her courage against the terrifying voice.

" **The gods."** The voice drawled, but she could hear an underlying hint of disdain.

The daughter of Poseidon blinked, confused, "Why?" Would they really kill her because of the Oath?

The voice chuckled, it was throaty, but wheezing all at once, **"They fear what you bring. They are scared of your choices. They continue to latch onto their delusions, but you! You unnerve them for you represent change!"** The voice echoed thunderously, a joyous laugh carrying along the winds that hissed and spat.

Rhode covered her eyes with her arm to shield herself from being blinded by the eldritch lightning that snaked throughout the storm, even as she shouted above the high winds, "Who are you?!" she demanded as loud as she could.

The chilling voice answered simply, **"A friend."**

Before Rhode could ask more, everything began to blend together, fading into black.

* * *

Rhode woke up with a groan, "Did I beat Thalia in the spar?" she asked with slurring delirium.

"Rhode, oh thank the gods." Su praised, hugging her tightly.

"Wha happened?" the daughter of Poseidon slurred, still trying to get the ringing out of her noggin.

Su pursed her lips, "A house elf got the drop on us." She explained, and was oddly bewildered by her own statement.

"…Let's pretend I know what that is."

"It's a servant of sorts." Su told her recovering friend, "Father has one named Tinkerbell. Anyway," she pressed on, "This one, Dobby, was shouting and ranting that you can't go back to Hogwarts because of some 'great evil'." The daughter of Demeter said with finger quotes.

"Only great evil?" Rhode frowned, that didn't sound so threatening. She tried to stand up, but nearly stumbled before Su sat her against a rotting log.

The daughter of Demeter gave her an amused look, "Yes, only great evil. He wouldn't say anything more about it." She frowned, "Luke, he went rather…brutal on this Dobby." She said with a shiver, the look in the son of Hermes' eye scared her, "Nearly took the elf's head off before the elf could pop away. Managed to nick him along his neck. He was riddled with worry after you were hurt, Rhode." The Ravenclaw stated softly.

The daughter of Poseidon frowned, sad she had worried Luke like that. Adjusting her hands against the rotten lumber, Rhode pushed herself up, "Where's Luke?" she asked, scanning her surroundings.

"He went to scout the area." Su answered, pushing up against her knees to stand alongside Rhode, "After we got that of course." She pointed to a golden box that rested near them. As Rhode advanced towards the box, Su said, "Luke, he got in there through the wards and by using your phone to pinpoint its location, he pulled this out. It was hidden in a concealed hollow under a loose floorboard." She remarked with awe, "It was quite the sight."

Rhode knelt next to the box, looking at it with cautious eyes, "It's not warded." Su said, moving next to her, "We checked."

"I see." Rhode nodded and slowly reached out with her hand and opened the box. In it, lay an ugly gold banded ring with a black stone embedded in it. For a moment, Rhode felt a compulsion to put the ring on, but she brushed it aside. She wasn't super into jewelry and even if she was, the ugly thing wasn't something anyone would want to be caught dead in. Su looked ready to say something though, but had stopped herself and instead shook her head in bemusement. Brandishing her dagger, Rhode tapped the black stone, getting a crack to form as a piercing wail that nearly burst the girls' eardrums sounded out accompanied by a black wisp shooting out from the damaged stone.

"Well, that was a thing." The daughter of the sea remarked and used her dagger to wiggle Thanatos' stone out of the band, not seeing much of a need for it. Tossing the godly item into her backpack, the half-blood heard rustling nearby. Turning to face the sound, she saw Luke emerge from the woods.

"Li, what was that sou-Rhode?" the blond stopped short, and in a flash, he was next to her, pulling her into a hug, "Glad your own your feet." He said, pulling her out to arms length, "You okay?" he asked, worry written all over his face.

Rhode gave a playful roll of her eyes, "I'm used to getting zapped. This was only a seven out of ten personally." She said, trying to joke about the whole thing. She earned a soft chuckle from Luke.

"Yeah, I'd believe that. But still," he squeezed her shoulders softly, "Don't scare me like that, okay?" he asked.

"No promises."

Luke gave a heavy sigh, hanging his head. What was he going to do with this one? At least Annabeth was a good listener. Releasing Rhode, Luke took a step back and said, "So what was that noise?"

"Just me destroying a dude's soul fragment." The sea child explained simply.

"Huh." Luke shrugged. He'd seen weirder; besides, it was Rhode. Wierd was basically her middle name. She'd gotten into some strange stuff, even for a demigoddess.

"Well, if we've finished our objective, I think we should head back to camp." Su informed. "I hear that," Rhode stretched her back, getting a soft pop, "I remember why I hate sleeping on the ground." She complained, getting a snicker from Luke. He knew exactly how she felt. "So, let's go back to town, and I'll call us a cab." She said, patting her pocket, and felt nothing. Holding her hand out to Luke, he gave her back the BlackBerry.

"That thing is so cool." Luke remarked as Rhode stuffed it in her pocket, "Kept vibrating until I found the box."

Rhode hummed, "Good to know how it'll work." She said, hefting her backpack. "Hey, Su, you looked like you were about to say something earlier, what was it?"

"Oh, I just wanted to point out that the ring had some kind of compulsion on it. To make you want to wear it." Su replied. "I felt it. It wasn't something I would ever do. The ring was ugly, so it had to have been a magical compulsion. But you just brushed it aside before I could say anything so I let it go. That's very impressive you know, we demigods are pretty resistant to mind magicks like that, but to treat it like it wasn't even there? That's incredible." she praised warmly.

"Huh," Rhode frowned, "I didn't even notice it."

"Rhode doesn't like to be told what to do." Luke grinned down at her.

Rhode smirked like a troublemaker, standing a little straighter, "Damn right!"

With that conversation out of the way, they started to head back to town. Not even two minutes later, they heard a piercing screech from above, getting the half-bloods to tense.

"Okay," Rhode said in a calm voice, "I am going to look up. I am going to look up and not see a monster that wants to kill us, but a bird. A simple loud bird." She said and with a deep breath, she looked up, "…I hate my luck." She complained, but she had clear reason to.

It was a giant, let her reiterate, a GIANT eagle. It had golden brown and copper colored feathers with a glistening bronze beak. The massive eagle swept by them, its large wings taking down the tops of trees. Making the demigods duck for cover.

The voice from her dream made Rhode frown, _**The Gods will kill you.**_ It was right. Glaring at the sky, she said, "Wow, I can only wonder where Thalia got her subtlety from." She said sarcastically. There was a far off boom, but she didn't care. If Zeus didn't like it, he could shove his lightning bolt right up his funnel cloud.

"That's the Caucasian eagle!" Luke shouted from his position, "Zeus sent it to peck out Prometheus's liver every day for his punishment."

 _Titan's bane rains down unto thee,_ Rhode grimaced at the first line of the prophecy.

Fan-spuming-tastic.

The monster eagle of Zeus curved in the air and came back at the demigods, talons at the ready.

Luke narrowed his eyes and sprung out of cover.

"Luke!" Rhode shouted out, but the son of Hermes didn't respond as he ran into an open clearing.

The eagle, seeing him, went right at the fleeing target.

Luke loaded on speed as his left arm pumped, along with his legs, going at speeds that came with his heritage. And then, he pivoted, turning right at the coming monster. The eagle gave a loud screech, but Luke bent his knees and leaped.

With great skill, he arched his sword swing and landed in a roll, a thud sounded near his own landing spot. He looked to the side with his icy blue eyes to see that he had slashed off one of the bird's talons.

Rhode bit her lip, and came out of cover too, holding her spyglass tightly, "Su!" she shouted, "On its next attack I need you to snag it!"

"I can't hold something that big!" Su argued from her cover.

"Just do it for a few seconds!" Rhode shouted back with confidence, "I have an idea!" she moved next to Luke, "Nice one." She said quickly.

"Thanks," the blond nodded back, "Got a plan?"

"Yep."

"You're not going to get yourself killed, right?" the son of the messenger god asked with a quirked brow.

Rhode scowled at him, cheeks pink, "My plans aren't that bad."

"Uh-huh." Luke said dryly as the eagle was making its next sweep, "Can you do it?" he asked her seriously.

Rhode looked him right in the eye, giving a solid nod.

"Good." Luke said as he gave her some distance.

"Su, get ready!" Rhode ordered and started to sprint into the clearing, just as Luke had.

The eagle's loud cry and flapping wings alerted the daughter of Poseidon of its presence as it was coming in fast.

"NOW!" Rhode screamed at the top of her lungs.

Tendrils of vines erupted from the ground, tangling up the mighty eagle's legs. The bird of Zeus flapped its wings as its talons started tearing the plants up as more and more tried to contain it feebly.

Rhode turned around and dashed right at the monster at great speeds as she stuck her spyglass in her mouth. She jumped onto the thick plants, climbing up, and finally sank her fists into the plumage of the eagle's legs and held on tight. The bird monster gave a loud cry, finally freeing itself and took off into the sky.

"She's crazy," Su said with sweat covering her face as she ran up to Luke.

"Yeah, you tend to realize that after a while." The blond said, chewing his lip, _Come on, Rhode, you can do it._

* * *

Rhode quickly came to the realization that flying via eagle sucked.

A lot.

The harsh winds attacked her eyes, making tears form as she kept climbing the plumage of the bird. She was currently hanging onto its chest for dear life.

If it wasn't for all that time at the lava wall at camp, she would have probably fallen off already.

Gritting her teeth against her spyglass, Rhode continued up until she was by the junction of the neck and right wing. Holding on tight, she released her left hand and grabbed her weapon, sliding the adjuster.

Spellbound sprang to life and with a war cry, she impaled it right in front of her.

Rhode's ears felt like they were going to bleed from the screech the eagle gave off. "Wah!" she cried out in surprise as the eagle started to flail in the air, making Rhode lose her grip. "No way!" she shouted and grabbed her embedded weapon as tightly as she could. She started to swing from it and with all her strength, she flipped into a crouched position on to the shaft of Spellbound.

Rhode reached behind her and drew her dagger, "Die!" she cried out, lunging with the blade, impaling the eagle right through the eye, her arm going shoulder deep into its skull.

As its brain was pierced, Rhode couldn't help but smile at her plan as the eagle turned to dust. After seeing Luke draw its attention in the clearing and how Su wrapped up that bull monster earlier, she knew it was the best way to get the Caucasian Eagle close and secured long enough for her to hop on.

It was the perfect plan.

Wind rushed past her and Rhode realized, she was falling.

Rather fast too.

Looking at the coming ground that would no doubt turn her into paste, she realized that she had forgotten the most crucial element of the plan.

Her landing strategy.

As soon as it dawned on her, she could do only one thing.

"Craaaaap!" Rhode screamed, flapping her arms in some backwards attempt at not being turned into a half-blood pancake with raspberry syrup.

Just as her life was no doubt about to flash before her eyes, the ground erupted and a gigantic sunflower came forth, cushioning Rhode's fall as she bounced a few times on it, getting dusted in yellow pollen.

Rolling over to her back, the daughter of the sea rested her hand on her chest as it rapidly rose and fell, trying to slow her racing heart. Her other hand was still clenching her dagger dangerously tightly.

"Su?" Rhode shouted, sea green eyes wide.

"Yes?" Echoed from below.

"I love you!" Rhode declared openly as the sunflower slowly descended into the ground. As she rolled onto the safe, secure, and oh so wonderful ground, Rhode saw a scarlet looking Su, fiddling with her thumbs.

"Oh, it was just, you were falling and I could only think of one thing that could break your fall soft enough, and-" Her rambling was abruptly cut off when Rhode pulled her into a tight hug.

"Nice save, girl." Rhode winked, getting a shy smile from Su, who looked ready to pass out from exhaustion.

"No kidding." Luke said, bonking Rhode on the head, getting a yelp, "I told you not to do anything crazy."

Rhode rubbed her lump and glared at the blond, "I made the plan from watching you, I just improved it. So you're half to blame, bleh." She stuck her tongue out at Luke, getting him to roll his eyes at her.

"Mature." He sighed out, hands on his hips.

"I'm eleven." She huffed at him as she felt the familiar weight of Spellbound in her pocket.

"No wonder you forgot about how you'd land."

"Urk!"

Su watched their interaction with a tired giggle, "Okay, okay, I think we should get back before we run into any other monsters." She said, getting nods from the others. She eyed the talon, "My only question is; how are we going to get this back to camp?" They couldn't just leave it laying around.

Rhode whipped out her wand, "I got this. Levitation charm for the win." She grinned.

* * *

Rhode levitated the talon into town and called up the taxi company from the number Su memorized. They tied the talon on top of the taxi with some rope. Thanks to the Mist, no one asked any questions other than what it was.

"Summer project." The half-bloods answered.

The mortals bought it completely.

They ended up at King's Cross station without further hassle and shuffled the talon through the liquid stone wall of Platform Nine and Three Quarters.

The only real challenge they had was stuffing the spoil of war into the Floo.

After that, they were finally home.

* * *

According to camp tradition, they wore laurel wreaths to a big feast prepared in their honor, then led a procession down to the bonfire, where they got to burn the burial shrouds their cabins had made for them in their absence.

Su's shroud was wonderful – dark brown silk with vine trimmings and a tree in the center.

Luke face palmed as his siblings decided to mess with him, taking a blanket from their cabin and writing BIG HERO on it with gold paint and glitter. He did enjoy burning it though, that was for certain.

Being the daughter of Poseidon, Rhode didn't have any cabin mates (for obvious reasons), so another cabin made hers. It was made out of shimmering green silk, curling blue and white waves trimming the edges with a bronze shield in the center, stamped with a green trident.

And the ones who made it blew her mind, it was Athena Cabin.

Annabeth was very convincing it seemed.

Rhode couldn't help but be proud of her.

It was a shame she had to burn it.

As for the spoil of war that they had earned on the quest? The questers got the talon mounted onto a piece of wood and labeled the plaque with their names and the location of their fight. They decided to leave it in Cabin Three since it had the room unlike Cabin Eleven, and it didn't fit in with Cabin Four. Rhode had wanted to use her free space more productively than mount her trophies, but this one was important! It signified her first quest! And more important than even that, it was one with Su, it was a symbol of how she was moving on and opening up to new people.

Of course, the questers took a picture with the spoil before hanging it up. Giving peace signs and grinning like fools, well, Rhode and Luke did. Su just gave a cute little smile, waving at the camera shyly.

Soon the fun died out and Rhode returned to her cabin for the night.

Plopping on to her bed, Rhode let out a sigh, "That's two Horcruxes down, Voldedork." She said, a smirk on her face as she raised her hand, holding her BlackBerry. She scrolled down the list and viewed the other items she had to find and destroy, "Only four to go, and you along with them." Turning the phone off, she set it on her nightstand.

Closing her sea green eyes, Rhode dreamt of finally being able to relax this summer.

Well, as relaxing as demigod training can be of course.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that is chapter ten guys, I hope you enjoyed it.
> 
> First, and most important, I would like to give a moment of silence to Monty Oum who passed away February First at age 33 due to an allergic reaction and ended up in a coma that he could not recover from. He has left a newborn legacy in the form of RWBY, and I am saddened due to having fallen in love with the show since the Ruby Trailer. It was just different and stuck out to me greatly. Goodbye Mr. Oum, you will be missed. Rest in peace.
> 
> Sieg: You will be missed Mr. Oum. But you can rest easy, even if Rooster Teeth chooses not to continue RWBY, you've left behind a great legacy in the dedicated community that I'm sure is grieving in their own way.
> 
> Well, now that the sad topic has been said, let's get back to the chapter. It might have felt somewhat the same as when Andi got the ring, but I hoped I spiced it up for you guys. As to why Zeus sent a monster after Rhode, why did he send one like Echidna after Percy? To test them, or in this case, who knows? Well, I do, but you figure it out. Didn't think Dobby would spring up, did you? XD
> 
> Sieg: Damn elf. He always seems to pop up at the most inopportune times.
> 
> Rhode has had her Horcrux removed, that means no link to Voldemort, nor does she have Parseltongue anymore. Not like I really touched on that anyway. She's more of a pony girl anyway XD With that and the stone checked off, she only has four more Horcruxes. Remember that Voldemort hasn't turned his snake into one yet.
> 
> Sieg: Has he in canon? Haven't the foggiest. It was never really said anyway, so...creative license!
> 
> No, he tortured and interrogated that lady, Jorkins, finding out about the Tri-Wizard Tourny and Barty Junior from her and then killed her, thus turning Nagani into a Horcrux.
> 
> Sieg: Oh!
> 
> And yes, Rhode now has a godly phone. It's special, besides tracking Horcruxes, but you'll see that later on. I've never really seen this done before and my good buddy Nameless2210 suggested it. It still works around magical places like Hogwarts. So, like how Rhode cares little for the WW, this is like a big F-you to the magical world since they don't use tech.
> 
> Sieg: Phone given by the god of death that operates on strange magicks. Not weird in the least. Now, BlackBerry, what's up with that?
> 
> It's 2002 in the story, remember? It was the best personal manager at the time phone-wise.
> 
> If you've noticed, not all of Rhode's prophecy lines happened in this quest, well, that's because the quest is still on in a way. Try and figure out what is what~ XD
> 
> I made Annabeth a little gamer, but note how she said she had to be the best. It is a small thing so far, but is nevertheless a manifestation of her Fatal Flaw. Which as you should remember is Hubris. Annabeth believes she has to be the best or is the best. I think this was a safe and child-like outlet to show it. Plus, Annabeth would murder in pokemon, hands down.
> 
> Sieg: Wonder which starter she chose...it's crystal...Totodile? Hope she didn't go for the Cyndaquil hype…
> 
> I always love the water types, my first pick in Pokemon games. Love me my Mudkips.
> 
> Most importantly, praise Su for being moe, praise her adorable soul now! And yes, I am having too much fun writing her. She's so cute! Like the perfect little Yin to Rhode's Yang.
> 
> Sieg: ...You really enjoy teasing everyone don't you? Now the readers won't know who to expect Rhode to get together with. I can hear the drums of war. The pairing wars are about to begin...
> 
> Next chapter, Rhode turns twelve, thus, chaos ensues. Sorta.
> 
> Well, please review, no flames, and peace off.


	11. Second Summer: I Get a Birthday Surprise

**Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson or Harry Potter.**

**The Unrelenting Frozen Seas: The Journey**

**Second Summer: I Get a Birthday Surprise**

**Beta: Siegfried01**

* * *

The morning after the traditional celebrations of a successful quest, Rhode found herself perched on a chair sitting on the front porch of the Big House, idly blowing at her wild bangs. All around her other campers were going about their business as usual. She on the other hand had resigned herself to boring a hole in the planks with a sneaker toe waiting for Chiron to start the discussion on how she had sent someone to Hades the hard way as he had promised.

Chiron's face was the picture of perfect calm, his fingers laced together as he sat across from her in Wheelchair Mode at the table that he and Mr. D would usually play pinochle on.

"Can you walk me through the situation?" The centaur started off as he leaned forward on his elbows.

Rhode's eyes shifted to the bustling campers as she spoke, "We got through the obstacles, pretty easily mind you, and we ended up in a chamber blocked by colored flames. One potion let one of us go back. I got Lee to go so he could get a teacher. Then I took the other potion and went through. Su was on backup, waiting to follow me when the potion refilled itself. I entered the chamber and there was my DADA professor, possessed by Volde himself." the daughter of Poseidon snorted, "So stupid."

Chiron made a humming noise, "Possession...Willingly?" He inquired.

Rhode shrugged, "I don't know, but once he started to attack, I didn't care. His curses bounced off Achilles' shield, so I was pretty safe for the most part." she turned to gave Chiron a quirked lip, "ADHD is just awesome for a fight, read his movements easy enough. Though," she made a sour face, "the number of useful spells I knew were...limited. So I got him in the face with a fireball."

"...Effective." The trainer said dryly.

Rhode nodded, "Yep." Clearing her throat, she continued. "Anyways, then he exploded me-"

Chiron held up a hand to pause her, "Excuse me, 'Exploded' you?"

"Something like that, blasted the ground, I think, and I went flying into a wall. Next was just a blur, I blocked a green light, tackled him into some shattered glass and instinct took over…" she trailed off, turning her head to look at the ocean, her eyes held a cold look in them, "Was what I did wrong?" She asked harshly, "The guy was trying to kill me, it was either him or me. And I like me a whole lot more."

"Rhode," Chiron began with an understanding tone born from experience, making Rhode tilt her head to look at him in the corner of her eye, "I am not here to judge your actions. Merely to console and question if you are alright."

Geez, Chiron was good at that. A few simple words and he could get you to relax. Rhode released a breath and her shoulders lost some tension as she turned back to face him fully. Propping her elbow on the table and resting her chin in her palm, "I'm fine." She replied, but even as she said that, she couldn't help but avoid his eyes. She had no desire for her inner demons to be laid bare before the legendary trainer.

Looking up a bit, she saw a small frown on his face, like he didn't believe her, "I beg to differ. We may not have been able to talk much over last summer, especially about how you have been feeling in light of the things you have had to endure recently, but I feel it is paramount to speak now. Your action at school just makes it more urgent. So let us talk, shall we?"

"Okay." Rhode agreed after some hesitation.

"So Rhode, why you don't tell me, honestly this time, how you feel about having killed a mortal?" Chiron inquired softly.

"I… um… I honestly don't feel one way or another about it." Rhode admitted, a confused frown pulling at her lips. "I feel a bit guilty about that. I mean, shouldn't I be more upset about killing someone?"

"Perhaps." Chiron replied. "Or perhaps you are guilty not about the fact you killed, but in actuality some other aspect of the killing. After all, this Quirrell was actively trying to kill you. Your heritage, experiences, and training have all prepared you for the possible need to kill when necessary. As such, to you it is not such a burden as say to an average mortal when you kill an enemy. Akin to how soldiers are desensitized to killing their enemies during the course of their training. In fact, you could argue that you are in some way a soldier of Olympus, no?"

Rhode was quiet as she mulled this over, brow knitted in thought, "So...this is what we have to expect?" She asked in a low tone.

"If need be, yes." Chiron confirmed solemnly. "Though I must stress that you should do everything in your power to avoid being put in such a situation that requires it. Killing mortals is frowned upon, at best, by the gods."

Rhode frowned at that. The gods killed mortals all the time, often on nothing more than a whim. The hypocrites. She was smart enough not to voice that thought though, who knew who was listening. Her mind went to the voice that spoke to her in those dreams, and about how it said that the gods would kill her. She didn't want to prove it right by giving them an excuse.

"Now if it wasn't the act of killing that has upset you what has?" Chiron pressed kindly. "Search yourself Rhode, what is it really?"

Despite herself, Rhode snorted a small laugh, "That's cheesy." She got a small smile from Chiron.

"Maybe. But it nevertheless is appropriate." Chiron said the amused smile still gracing his face.

"True." the daughter of Poseidon admitted. "Fine, I'll try." With that her face took on a look of relaxed concentration as she reflected on her feelings. She felt like she was in the eye of a hurricane of her emotions, trying desperately to make sense of the chaos of the storm.

After about five minutes, she found her answers and duly reported them to her trainer. "I… err… think I'm upset about _how_ I killed him and a little about _why_ too."

"Go on," Chiron encouraged.

"Well, I killed him because I was angry with him for trying to kill me. And then I did the job in such a bloody way because I was pissed at him." Rhode explained.

"So you're upset because your anger got the better of you?" Chiron pressed as he sought more clarity.

"Yeah." Rhode admitted in an embarrassed voice. "I know I have anger issues. Lady Thetis even said it was my Fatal Flaw and…"

"Lady Thetis told you it was your Fatal Flaw?" Chiron interrupted. "When?"

"Umm… Not long ago. She came to visit while I was swimming here at camp last summer."

"I see." Chiron said assuming a thoughtful expression as he continued to question the young demigoddess. "So you are upset that you let your Fatal Flaw cloud your judgement?"

"Yeah." Rhode nodded. "And it wasn't just when I killed Quirrell either. I got angry at Dumbledore too at the Farewell Feast. And a couple of times here and there too." She looked down at her feet at this, before continuing in a barely audible whisper, "I don't like it."

Chiron had heard her though and asked in as comforting a tone as possible, "And what exactly don't you like about it?"

"I don't like how it makes me act. I mean sure nothing really bad has happened because of it yet, except maybe leaving Quirrell a bloody mess. But I'm not stupid, I know that won't last." Rhode gave a sad smile, "With my luck? It's bound to get me into deep trouble sooner or later."

"I see." Chiron agreed. "So do you have any idea on how to deal with it?"

"...Lady Thetis suggested I let go." Rhode said, staring down at her hands, sitting on her lap, and frowned at them, causing them to clench unconsciously, "But…" she struggled with her words. 'Let go'. It sounded so simple. Part of her wanted to, but another part didn't. Letting go meant she would be forgetting all the horrible things she'd endured and letting those who put her into those situations off scot-free, she couldn't do that!

"Rhode, it's completely acceptable to be angry," Chiron soothed, seeing the anger in her eyes, idly he noted that her eyes had grown from a vibrant sea green to a tumultuous green in her anger, much like her father. Coughing lightly, he drew her attention again as she blinked and looked up to stare at him, "But you need to learn to temper that anger. Control it, direct it, use it as fuel for what you want to do. Never let it control you." He paused then waiting for the girl to acknowledge his words, when he saw her reluctantly nod he continued. "Now, the first thing to do that is to discover what are the roots of your anger. Like I mentioned in our talk about Dumbledore over the Winter Break, understanding will make dealing with things much easier."

Rhode tilted her head, when did she start feeling so angry at the world? She remembered how she hated the world as a child room, locked away in that dark, her prison. And then, thanks to the interference of her dad and Lady Thetis, she was free, and felt happy, truly happy for the first time in her short life.

Then, she made a friend, Thalia. One who came to mean everything to her. She wasn't just her family, she wasn't just her best friend or her sister. Maybe more important than any of that she was a symbol of Rhode's freedom. Of the new life she had carved for herself alongside Thalia on the streets. Losing her meant she lost all that...

Sure, she wasn't locked in her childhood prison again. But wasn't Camp, as homey as it was, just a prison too? With Hogwarts, with all its drama, even more so? At both she had far less freedom than she ever did while on the streets. So maybe it wasn't rational, and wasn't something she completely believed in, but ever since Thalia died it was like being imprisoned all over again, just in a fancier prison.

"...alia." Rhode murmured.

"Hm?" Chiron prompted.

Swallowing, the daughter of Poseidon said, "Thalia." she admitted, "It, it all started when she…" she couldn't finish it. She didn't want to.

"I see. So you're angry at those who are responsible for what happened to her?" Chiron hypothesized.

"Yeah. But not just them. I guess well…I'm angry the gods for putting us in that situation. At Annabeth for slowing us down because she was so young, Luke for not saving her, Grover for getting lost and allowing the monsters to catch up, myself for being so useless when she needed me… even Thalia for letting things happen that way. I blame _everyone_!" She shouted the last bit out, before calming slightly and continuing. "I know it doesn't make sense, but that's how I feel." she said with a broken and pain filled laugh, rubbing her eyes roughly, "But that's not even the worst part of it…"

"Then what is?" The ancient centaur asked quietly.

"The worst thing is…" For a moment Rhode couldn't bring herself to continue, but after a steadying breath did, "The worst thing is that the bit I'm most angry about isn't that Thalia is… gone…, but what that means to me."

"And what exactly does it mean to you, Rhode?" Chiron pressed when the girl seemed reluctant to elaborate.

"It means that I'm caged _again_!" She shouted out. "And I know that doesn't make sense. By the gods, I know! But I can't help it." Rhode broke down into tears at this point and the immortal moved over to engulf the distraught child in his arms even as she stutteringly continued. "I mean…*sniff*…Camp is like a home to…and going to Hogwarts sucks… But…But I like Camp. …*sniff*… Here I have my family…and at school there's Su and Lee…even if everything else is a pain…but…." She lost all semblance of coherence at this point and the dam burst, her tears pouring out in full force.

Chiron just comfortingly patted her on the back even as he soothingly said, "I'm sure you know this Rhode, but emotions are not supposed to make sense. People just feel the way they do because they do. You are no exception. You have no reason to feel upset for feeling the way you do. As for your anger, well, it is your Fatal Flaw so it will not be easy to manage but you won't be alone as you strive to do so. I'll be here if you ever need help with it, and I'm sure all your friends and family here at camp would be more than willing to do the same. So don't let this upset you, my dear girl, everything will be perfectly fine."

* * *

The next day found Rhode sparring with the Ares cabin. After her bout of crying, Chiron had let her clean up at the Big House, she had an image to maintain after all, before he had escorted her back to her cabin with instructions to have a good rest for the rest of the day and that he would get back to her tomorrow with some activities he felt would help her with her issues. Yes, that was what she was calling her anger problems, deal with it! Sparring was one such activity, hence her having a match against Fergus.

After the, uh, incident from last summer, nearly all of Ares cabin wasn't interested in getting the daughter of Poseidon to go psycho on them. Fergus had called his siblings a bunch of wimps and, in a way, had taken Rhode under his wing, since he said she had a talent for punching stuff.

The match started with Rhode bobbing and weaving around the arena as her arms guarded her face. Rhode moved in for the first strike as with a cry, she twisted her hips, and launched a left straight.

It was blocked by Fergus, whose powerful arms counterattacked with a few jabs, testing her defenses.

Rhode struggled to block the ferocious attacks, and soon her guard was broken, leading her to get a knee to the gut and a right hook to the face, sending her sprawling to the ground.

As Rhode shook her head, getting back up, Fergus complained, "Come on, lass, give me something better." He said, picking his ear, "I could get one of my twit sibs to give me something with more umph."

Rhode scowled at him, getting angry, but that just seemed to make Fergus smile.

"There it is," the son of war said as he gave a large smile as Rhode stomped up and charged. Her punches were thrown harder and faster as the boy egged her on, trying to make her angry on purpose.

"Come on," Fergus grunted, his forearm going up to block a kick for his head. He quickly grabbed it, lifting Rhode up and tossing her to the ground, sitting on her back and locking it, getting a painful grunt from Rhode, "Getting too easy, lass." He chided with that damned smile on his face.

Then again, out of everyone in camp, Fergus was the best in Pankration. He could fight Argus, the head of camp security, on even footing.

"I'll show you easy!" Rhode snapped at him, struggling to get out of the hold.

Laughing the son of war let her go, eager to fight as usual. He got his wish when Rhode went to kick his shin, but sidestepped and countered with a halfhearted punch. Rhode dodged it, and got in a gut shot, getting a minor grunt from the Scottish son of war.

She was going to go for a second shot, but Fergus bear hugged her, strangling Rhode. She then did the only thing she could think of.

Knee him in the soft spot.

Her hopes were quickly dashed as she connected with something hard.

"Ha!" Fergus barked in her face, "Think I'd let you do that again? I wore a cup this time."

Rhode clicked her tongue, "So cheap." She muttered.

Fergus let her go, and she dodged a kick to her stomach, only to get a fist to her chest, knocking the air out of her, laying her flat.

Rhode panted heavily, they had been training for about an hour now, and her body felt like jelly from all the hits she took.

Water could only heal so much before the pain finally took its toll.

Speaking of water, Rhode winced her eyes shut as a bucket of ice water was dumped on her. Fergus called her water powered healing the most stupid yet handy power ever. Since she just got back up to get smacked down again.

That was when she kneed his soft spot the first time.

Letting the arm holding the bucket slide to his side, Fergus grinned down at her, "Come on, don't tell me you're out of gas?"

"Shut…up." Rhode mustered out the best she could, her breathing labored. Her everything hurt and while the water was slowly causing the pain to fade away, for the moment it was still there.

The son of war whined and planted his butt on the ground next to her, cupping his chin in one of his massive palms, "Alright, guess you did okay today." He mildly complemented.

"Okay?" Rhode panted out with a glare, which was pitiful at the moment mind you.

"Yep." The boy nodded, "Your defense needs some work, you over reach with your arm locks, and you're not big enough for throws outside your limited weight class." He critiqued her in an expert fashion, getting a frown from Rhode, "But, your arm and leg strikes are good, especially your gastrizein **(1)**." He stated.

"Okay, what else?" she asked him, wanting to get better. Fergus got this knowing look on his face as he went on.

"See, I got you figured out, lass." He stated, getting a frown from Rhode. Seeing this, he elaborated, "You got all this anger in you, and what do you do with it? You let it whip around like an unmanned fire hose instead of aiming it at the flames. You gotta learn to channel that anger, lass, or you're screwed." He bluntly said. Unwittingly repeating what Chiron had said the day before.

Anger prickled through Rhode's body, making her prop herself on her elbows, "Shut up!" she snapped at him. She knew Chiron hadn't ratted her out, he was too honorable for that, so having someone else point out her issues rankled her. Was she _that_ obvious?

"See." Fergus pointed at her, "Right there. There's no shame in using your anger in a fight." He thumbed at himself, grinning, "How do you think we fight? Our dad's road rage on steroids with a war fetish. We got his odikinesis." He explained, getting a clueless look from Rhode, "Right? Seriously, I hate this fancy word shite for our powers. Basically, we use our anger to fight, like you do, but you're failing at this. Badly." He cheerfully noted.

"I'm fine." Rhode grunted, returning to lay on her back.

"Oh? Then why am I creaming you every time?"

"That's only because you have height and muscle over me." The daughter of Poseidon said, "Give me a few years and I'll lay you flat." She stated firmly, wincing a bit as she moved her aching muscles.

Fergus just gave her a blank look, "Yeah, and I'm the magical unicorn fairy with a sidekick named princess handjob."

Rhode growled at his dismissal, and his language, but that just made Fergus smile more at her. Meh, she couldn't just learn to control it through words, it took dedication, or being a child of war, to use your anger as a tool for combat.

He'll just keep beating her down and nudging her down the right direct while kicking her butt.

He was such a good samaritan.

"Well, let's hit the infirmary. Again." Fergus said, grabbing Rhode by the arm, ignoring her grunt of pain. He helped the daughter of Poseidon to the Big House, where some of the Apollo kids were healing injured campers, from basic wounds to a kid with an arrow in the knee. Ouch.

"Again?" the daughter of Apollo with dyed hair, Atlanta, asked with a slightly arched brow at seeing the two.

"What can I say," Fergus grinned at her, dumping Rhode on a bed, earning a curse from the daughter of Poseidon. "She can't get enough of me." He said, leaning against a wall, crossing his arms, showing off his biceps, "Jealous?" He teased.

Atlanta rolled her eyes, "Please, Kilt-Boy." She scoffed and sat next to Rhode, starting to heal her bruises and sore muscles, "You wish."

Fergus frowned, "You know, I got hurt too." He said to the girl, who then tossed him a small cube of ambrosia.

"There you go." She replied, sky blue eyes twinkling with mirth as she returned her attention back to Rhode.

The son of Ares grumbled and decided to ask the question on his mind, "So, you going with anyone to the fireworks?" He asked as casual as he could, munching on the small cube of ambrosia.

"Nope." Atlanta simply answered, "Feeling better?" She asked Rhode.

"Yeah." The younger girl said, relaxing on the bed.

Fergus, giving off a wild grin, asked, "Well, I'm free, you're free, so how about we go together?"

Atlanta paused her healing, getting a whine of protest from Rhode, as she turned to face Fergus, "You and me?" she pointed at him then herself.

Fergus just nodded.

Atlanta stood up, her stature still shorter than the massive son of war, "All romantic, on a blanket, watching the sky light up…and possibly make-out?" she asked, her finger on his broad shirt clad chest that had a ring of sweat around the collar.

"Well, if you're suggesting that last one..." Fergus smoothly stated, a smile on his face.

"Nope." Atlanta shot him down, getting a stumped look from the boy as she turned back to Rhode, giving her a small cup of nectar. Atlanta tilted her head to the side, Fergus seeing the sly smile on her lips, "I have other patients, see ya Fergus. Bye Rhode." She departed, a sway in her steps.

The son of war grumbled, a grunt escaping his lips, "Dammit, I love when she plays hard to get." He smiled, he was a sucker like that and wasn't afraid to admit it.

Rhode was just looking at the son of Ares in confusion, idly sipping her nectar which tasted like liquid Skittles.

Older kids were weird.

* * *

It was July first.

Rhode, cupcake in hand, and with seven candles, was sitting next to Thalia's tree.

She placed the pastry down, pushing in each candle and, with her wand, lit them.

Glancing down at it with a sad look in her eye, Rhode said, "Hi, Jason." She murmured softly, "Thalia, she...she would usually do this. We were a bit busy last summer, so we couldn't then, but I guess I'll be doing this in her stead from now on, okay?" she asked, as if the cupcake would give her an answer back.

Rhode looked up at the strong pine tree with a miserable look, then back to the cupcake, "I hope…I hope you're okay, Jason. It's a big scary world out there. Me and Thalia learned that first hand, a lot." She chuckled out weakly and grew quiet, "Thalia, she loves you so much, she misses you even more than anything in the world. I don't know if you're alive or not, but I hope you are, for her sake, Jason. Happy birthday."

"Rhode?" a voice in the distance called out, making the daughter of Poseidon turn to see Annabeth jogging up the hill. She viewed the cupcake with a furrowed brow and titled head, "What are you doing up here?" she asked, "With a cupcake?"

Rhode gave her a sad smile, "That's a super duper secret, Bethy." She informed, pushing herself up and letting the candles burn, wax dripping over the treat.

Annabeth pouted, "You can tell me." She was great at keeping secrets!

Rhode poked her nose, getting a yip from the young blonde, "Nope. Can't say." She then gave a chiding look, "Plus, you shouldn't be so nosey about other people's business, Annabeth, it's not nice."

Annabeth just pouted further at not knowing.

"Don't you have a match with Tammy or something?" Rhode slyly redirected the daughter of Athena's thought process.

Annabeth gave a startled gasp, "You're right!" she shouted, rushing off to her cabin, "Thanks for the reminder!" she waved behind her, thinking of her coming victory.

Rhode smiled. Annabeth could be as smart as she wanted to be, but she was still a little kid.

She was too easy to trick at times.

* * *

"So we all set?" Rhode asked, taking a sip of water from the bottle in her hand. She, Annabeth, and Luke were sitting on a picnic blanket out on the beach. All the other campers were scattered around on blankets too, friends chattering, couples snuggling close, under the dark sky that was dotted with stars.

It was July fourth, Independence Day.

And it was the camp's annual fireworks show by Cabin Nine.

Being Hephaestus' kids, they weren't going to settle for a few lame red-white-and-blue explosions. They'd anchored a barge offshore and loaded it with rockets the size of Patriot missiles. From what Rhode had heard, the blasts would be sequenced so tightly they'd look like frames of animation across the sky. Making herself comfortable, Rhode idly wondered if Gaige had a hand in this year's fireworks. That'd be fun.

"This is going to be so cool, we missed the last one and Nils told me you haven't seen Camp Half-Blood until you've seen a fireworks show." Annabeth said, her cheeks and face painted with red, white, and blue stars on them. All the little kids had something on them too, a result of a collaboration between Cabins Seven and Ten, it was just that festive of a day.

To Rhode, a British born, celebrating a successful rebellion against her home country wasn't exactly her idea of a great day, but she had grown to appreciate it due to the whole rebellion aspect of it. If it was one thing that she respected, it was a rebellion.

"I know," Luke groaned, "Lee wouldn't shut up about it."

"When does he ever?" Rhode asked with a quirked lip.

Luke raised his own water bottle, "Hear hear." He cheered with a grin.

A megaphone was tapped and everyone turned to see Gaige, goggles on, holding the voice enhancing device. Her face was positively manic with glee.

" **Hello Camp Half-Blood!"** She greeted loudly, her voice oozing excitement, **"Who's ready for a show?!"**

Everyone cheered wildly, making Gaige nod to herself.

" **Yeah, I thought so. Well, get ready to have your pants' blown off!"**

Gaige tossed the megaphone away without a care and held a handheld device with a big red button on it.

"LET THERE BE EXPLOSIONS OF BADASSITUDE!"

She pressed the button.

Fireworks exploded to life overhead: Theseus slaying the Minotaur, Hercules slaying the Trojan sea monster, Achilles combating Hector of Troy, and finally Thomas Jefferson (who, by the way, was a son of Apollo) drawing up the Declaration of Independence.

The finale was the most amazing thing Rhode had ever scene. It was a couple of hundred-foot-tall Greek warriors crackling to life above the ocean along with some soldiers of Troy, the famous wall her father built in the background, fighting it out in a fierce battle, and then exploding into a million colors.

"That…" Rhode was speechless.

"Was…" Luke followed her example, slack jawed.

"AMAZING!" Annabeth gushed, her grey eyes twinkling from the spectacle.

It was clear that the fourth of July had just became a favorite day for the group of demigods.

One that they would never want to miss.

* * *

"So like this?" Rhode asked Chiron as wisps of mist danced along her fingertips as she tried to perform the feat of control over the Mist that Chiron had instructed her to do. She was seated on the steps of Cabin Three as Chiron stood by her.

It had been a few days after the fourth of July and Rhode had been lucky enough to snag a lesson with Chiron.

As the Activities Director, Chiron had to try and help everyone, but with the help of older campers, his job was made easier as they helped to teach their younger siblings. But, since she was an only child, Rhode had no one to really help her train her own unique powers.

She mainly had to do that on her own.

But, then came Chiron, who had no doubt trained dozens of children of Poseidon over the centuries.

Currently, he was teaching her how to manipulate the Mist, the veil that covers the godly supernatural world from mortal eyes. A very powerful tool for a demigod to be able to control.

Chiron said that her gift with magic would no doubt make it easier to grasp the concept of the Mist.

And, so it seemed, that he was right.

"Yes, excellent job my dear." The centaur smiled "Now this is just the start of the control you can have over the Mist. Over time, it will become easier to manipulate." He explained to his student.

"Right." Rhode nodded, staring at the white wisps, "So with this I can control mortals' minds?" she asked, trying to bend the veil before her as instructed.

"Yes, but remember, in order to successfully control the Mist, you have to focus on what the target wants to see, not your desire that you want them to see."

"Awesome, so I just have to make my professors see me in detention and I am scot-free." Rhode smirked like the troublemaker she was, "No more detention~" She sang gleefully, getting a frown from Chiron.

"Rhode," he said in a lecturing tone that made the daughter of Poseidon groan, already knowing he was going to burst her happy bubble, "with great power, comes great responsibility. You must not squander the Mist for such trivialities." He added quickly.

Rhode, completely ignored that last part, and instead just stared at the trainer, "…Did you just honestly pull an Uncle Ben?" she asked.

"Yes. Yes I did." Chiron nodded sagely, "I simply adore that quote." He smiled at her, "But my statement still holds true, Rhode."

The daughter of Poseidon slumped on the steps with a pout, "Wow, way to take the wind out of my sails, Chiron."

"I'm glad to have done so now then." The centaur stated, sparks of mirth dancing across his warm brown eyes.

"You know, I think I'll write that down." Rhode rolled her almond shaped eyes, "Got a pen?" she asked and looked at his satchel that was resting near her. She noticed a disposable ballpoint pen with some writing on the side, probably the company logo, and grabbed it. She reached for the cap, to further her joke, missing the widening of Chiron's eyes, "Here, I'll jot it on my hand." She uncapped the pen.

And nearly lost an eye.

"Holy Poseidon!" Rhode shouted in response to the pen's sudden transformation as she uncapped it into a shimmering bronze sword with a double-edged blade, a leather-wrapped grip and a flat hilt riveted with gold studs. It was about three feet in length and judging by the weight, she'd say it was about five pounds, "I thought it was the pen that was mightier than the sword, not the pen is actually the sword?!" She exclaimed.

"Yes, well, celestial bronze weapons come in all shapes and sizes, Rhode." Chiron said, sighing in relief that she didn't lose a finger or something, "Still, I would advise caution when rummaging through my satchel." He noted with a stern look, getting Rhode to give a sheepish one in return. "I carry around quite a few treasures that are best not misplaced, so you never know what item inside is more than it seems."

"Sorry, just joking around." She weakly offered. She rolled her wrist, the blade of the xiphos shimmering in the light of the afternoon sun, "So this your standard sword or something?" Rhode asked him.

"Its name is Anaklusmos." Chiron stated, humor in his eyes once more.

"Riptide." Rhode instantly translated. Forcing her body up from the steps, she took a few paces away from Chiron, "So, it's yours?"

"For the time being." The trainer commented aloofly as he watched Rhode perform a stab at a phantom opponent, swinging the blade around in her hand, getting a feel for it.

"This thing is perfect." The daughter of Poseidon breathed. None of the swords at camp felt good enough for her. She was actually going to forge her own during Arts and Crafts soon since it was just hard to find one with the right balance as she was a bit picky.

"Well, I'm glad you are enjoying yourself, Rhode, but I would like my writing instrument back." Chiron said, but the daughter of Poseidon was too enthralled with trying out Riptide to hear him. Using the sword with good form he mentally noted.

"This feels just like my trident." Rhode commented as she spun the blade in her hand, almost mesmerized by it as she made it glide through the air in a wide arc, "It is, isn't it?" she turned around, looking into Chiron's eyes.

Chiron nodded to her conclusion, "Yes, it was forged by a water being. No doubt another, such as yourself, would be able to bring out its full potential. But still, I would like it back, my dear."

"You know," Rhode smiled at him slyly, "my birthday is coming up, and this would be one heck of a gift from my best and most favorite teacher of all times." She said, unashamedly buttering him up, "I mean, who better than a child of Poseidon to use it?"

"Who indeed." Chiron chuckled, trotting over and taking the sword from her and capping the sword tip, making it return to its pen form, "Forgive me, Rhode, but I cannot give you this. Even if your father gave it to me."

"Dad did?" she asked him, getting a nod, "Aw." She pouted at losing the chance to have the cool sword. She lazily kicked up some dirt and trekked back to the steps of her cabin, her pout in full force.

"Now, let's continue the lesson, yes?" the trainer said, putting the pen back into his satchel.

"Actually, I have a problem that you could maybe help me with." Rhode said, garnering Chiron's attention. At his raised brow, she continued, "See, I can sometimes do this ice thing." She went on to explain her ice powers, making Chiron rub his scruffy beard in thought.

"Hm, it seems you've an arctic gift from your father." He stated.

Rhode intelligently said, "What?" and blinked at him.

Chiron smiled, "Rhode, no two children of the gods are alike. You have a gift with ice. Why, I once knew a son of Poseidon who could boil water to scalding temperatures and melt monsters from the searing heat alone; and another even utilized water vapors to create a vast fog around himself."

"So, I have a rare gift?" Rhode concluded.

"Yes." Chiron nodded, "But not extremely rare, like say a child of Hephaestus being able to conjure fire. Last time that happened…well, let's just saying being a baker didn't pay off for the poor lad." He sighed with sadness, "Anyway, what I mean is, as before, no two children of the gods are alike. Why does one child of Apollo excel at healing while another one does with music? Or why is one child of Zeus is more accustomed to controlling the wind while another has a greater grasp with their electricity? It's all depends on the person. And for you, that gift is ice, a reflection of the arctic aspect of your father's domain, thus, you are most likely taking after that facet of his being."

Rhode knitted her brow, "Okay, I get that part. But my main question is, how do I control it?" she asked, looking somewhat down, "I mean, I've tried on my own, a lot." She sighed, her shoulders slumping, "But nothing I do works, I just get frustrated."

"My suggestion would be to look for something who knows ice far better than I." Chiron counseled.

"Who?"

The centaur smiled, "Why, our own Jack Frost of course."

"Duh." Rhode palmed her face, "Why didn't I think of that?"

"It happens to everyone my dear." Chiron assured her, "Plus, you were only here for a month last summer and…a tad distracted." He delicately put.

Rhode nodded sadly to that, it was true.

"So, I would go seek counsel with Jack over the matter." Chiron reinforced. He paused to check his watch, a frown marring his face, "Sadly, I think this is all the time I can afford you, Rhode. Other lessons beckon after all." He told her.

Rhode waved him off, "It's cool. I'll just go see Jack like you said. Thanks for the Mist lesson, Chiron." She smiled at him, getting him to give her one back. He reached for his satchel and slung it on. He galloped off to his next lesson as Rhode dug her heels into the dirt, mulling over where Jack could be causing mischief right now.

You could call him the camp's resident prankster. It was no wonder why he got along with Hermes kids so well.

Setting her objective, Rhode pushed off the steps once more, determined to find the white haired Snowflake.

* * *

As Rhode walked around, she eyed the basketball court, it looked like Cabin Seven was playing Cabin Eleven, but they were slipping around, falling on their butts and faces. The court was glimmering in the sun and she only needed one guess as to how it was covered in ice.

She scanned around, and looked up to see Jack grinning like an imp, sitting on his staff, bare feet dangling as he floated five feet off the ground.

She crept behind him as he let out a few sniggers and said, "What's up Snowflake?"

Jack yelped in surprise, nearly falling off his staff as he clung to it, still hovering in the air. He turned his head to glare at her, "Anyone tell you not to sneak up on people, Princess?"

Rhode frowned, "How many times did I tell you not to call me that?"

"How many times are you going to call me Snowflake?" he maturely retorted and landed on his feet. He had gotten taller over the year, a few inches at most.

Rhode just huffed, crossing her arms, "Whatever." She brushed off their banter to get to the point, "Listen, I need some help."

Jack spun his staff, resting the crook on his shoulder, "Oh?" he asked intrigued and arched a brow, "Do tell."

They strolled down to the lake as Rhode explained her dilemma.

"So you can only change water into ice?" Jack asked curiously, obviously happy to have another cryokinetic around, "Not like this?" he asked, making a swirling jet of snow release from his opened palm, "Or this?" he inhaled and blew out an icy breeze from his lips.

Rhode sniffed the air, "Winter Mint?" she couldn't help but ask.

Jack smiled at her, his teeth as white as freshly fallen snow, "Of course." He said proudly.

"Yeah, cool." Rhode said, getting a crooked smile from Jack at the unintended pun, "Let's stay focused here." She stated as they arrived at the lake.

"Well, let's see what you got." Jack said, holding his hand out to the lake.

Rhode frowned and extended her arms to the water. Closing her eyes, she concentrated for what felt like forever. Her brow was knitted and her frown deepened.

Jack, who was standing next to her, couldn't help but think she looked constipated.

After about five minutes, Rhode let her arms fall to her side. She turned to Jack, a pout on her face, "Nothing."

"I noticed." Jack said in return, a thoughtful look on his face as he leaned against his staff, "Hm, what's your center?" he asked her curiously.

"Huh?"

Jack elaborated, "Your center, you know, how you focus your powers." He looked out into the lake, a distant look in his icy blue eyes, "I know mine."

"Oh." Rhode blinked, "Like the tugging feeling in my gut when I use my water powers?"

"Uh…" Jack said, looking at her strangely, "No, I meant mentally, not physically. You might want to see Chiron about that by the way." He suggested, making Rhode punch him in the arm, "Ow! Hey! I bruise easy!" He said, rubbing his arm. She punched really hard.

"Nothing's wrong with me." She scowled at him. Crossing her arms, Rhode continued, "So, this center thing? What's yours?" she asked, hoping for a guideline.

"Fun." Jack shrugged, getting a dubious look from Rhode, "What?"

"Fun?" the daughter of Poseidon said, "That's it?"

Jack gave her a smile, that made her feel almost as if it was Christmas already, making his icy blue eyes twinkling like stars, "Yeah, fun. Think about it. Snow gives you some of the best things in the world. It's magical in its own right. The perfect snow day." The white haired boy started to list off, "A white Christmas, building a snowman, the perfect snowball fight, snow angels, sledding." He looked like he was living these events just as he talked about them, "Every kid always loves the snow. Sure, it's cold, it's a pain if it gets down your pants, but you can't help but love it, have _fun_ with it." He explained, "That's _my_ center."

Rhode gave him a skeptical look. She had no idea what her 'center' was, but she looked at the lake once more and raised her arms. Eyes screwed shut, the daughter of the sea concentrated on, well, fun. All the times she and Thalia played in the snow, just to escape the life they lived for five minutes and just be kids. Hanging out with some other kids in parks and joining a snowball fight, just having fun like a regular kid.

But as time moved on, frustration grew in Rhode's heart as she would open her eyes to see nothing but a shifting lake. That frustration turned into anger and she growled, tossing her arms up in the air, "Whatever!" she said, her patience spent on this stupid power that didn't even work right!

But then, to her and Jack's amazement, where the lake met the grassy shore, frost built up and a thin sheet of ice the size of a piece of loose-leaf floated on the water.

"I…did it." Rhode said, than soon smiled, "I did it!" she said and hugged Jack around the neck in her happiness, "Whoa!" she cheered, Jack chuckling.

"Yeah, I guess so. See?" he grinned at her, "Told you it would work."

"Yeah." She nodded and then noticed how close they were. Jack seemed to have noticed this too and they backed away from each other by a few paces, "Sorry." Rhode said with a sheepish smile, "I got excited."

"It's cool." Jack shrugged. He raised a fist to his mouth and coughed into it, clearing his throat, "So, anyway, you just have to train on that." He explained.

"I'll do that right now." Rhode said, and planted her butt by the lake.

"I'll help." Jack said, sitting nearby, smiling at her, getting one back.

"Thanks, Jack."

"No problem."

They continued to train. At first, Rhode still focused on the fun stuff about snow and ice, but would grow frustrated at times which is when it finally worked. After this happened a few times, it became clear to both of them that her 'center' wasn't fun at all, but anger. Rhode was conflicted by this, as yet another aspect of her nature was now tied to her Fatal Flaw. But she would think on that later, for now whilst she had Jack's help, she would milk it for what it was worth.

With that discovery, Rhode's progress improved a great deal. So Jack moved on from coaching her through forming ice to pointing things out to her, like what she could do with her ice and such. He was a godsend, his ideas would make her so much stronger.

As the practice continued, they eventually started to talk about themselves. Rhode was a bit more reserved while Jack was an open book on his life.

"And then he woke up with ice in his shoes." The son of the snow goddess snickered about one of his old pranks.

"That's funny." Rhode laughed, "Still, you sounded pretty young, how long have you been here?" she asked him curiously.

Jack smirked and pulled out his leather necklace, showing ten beads, "Been here since I was three years old." He bragged. He leaned back onto the grass, crossing his arms behind his head, "You could say I've been here longer than most campers."

"What about your dad?" Rhode asked and Jack just shrugged.

"Hardly know him." At Rhode's confused look, he continued, "I mean, Chiron told me he just dumped me here when I was three years old. Never bothered to come back." He shrugged uncaringly.

"Oh." Rhode said, frowning a little. At seeing her sad face, Jack reassured her quickly.

"Hey hey, Princess, it's fine. Besides, I see Chiron as more of a dad anyway." He grinned, "Want to know how I was claimed?" he said, trying to lighten the mood.

Rhode just gestured him to go ahead.

"Well, I was four at the time." He smiled brightly, "I needed some help with my armor since little arms and all. Chiron was helping me strap in when I made this huge sneeze." The son of the snow goddess started laughing, "I sneezed so hard, I froze his entire beard! He had to chisel it off!" he boomed with laughter, making Rhode join him.

"No way?" she asked between laughs.

"Oh yeah." Jack nodded, seemingly proud of himself at the deed.

"Oh man, how'd he take it?" Rhode pressed on, needing to know.

"He looked so weird." The boy said, "I think I still have a picture stashed after he tried to destroy all the copies that got passed around."

"I need to see that."

Jack just winked at her, "No prob, Princess."

"Thanks, Snowflake," Rhode grinned back at him.

They continued to talk, their training forgotten, just having a good time until they had to head to the pavilion for dinner.

Rhode had to admit, Jack was a pretty cool guy.

* * *

Annabeth charged at Rhode with her dagger, making the older demigoddess block it with ease.

"You've got to go in a bit easier, Bethy." Rhode said, going for a half-hearted strike that let Annabeth dodge to the left, only for Rhode to step on her foot as soon as she moved there. Getting a yelp of pain, Rhode tripped the blonde with a kick, knocking the young girl to the ground. Sighing, Rhode put her free hand on her hip, "You have to let your opponent get in close and then step in. It's how you start the move."

Annabeth, sitting up with a pout, looked up to Rhode, "I'm trying." She said, Rhode was teaching her how to disarm with a dagger like she had promised last summer and it was pretty hard.

"I know, in a very eager way." Rhode smirked at her, "Sometimes you have to take it easy when learning something."

"Well maybe you shouldn't try to beat me up so much." Annabeth said with puffed up cheeks, resembling a chipmunk, "I mean, I am the birthday girl." She informed…for the twentieth time.

"So I've heard." Rhode nodded to humor her. It was the twelfth of July, the young daughter of Athena's birthday and she had just turned nine years old.

They had a party for her earlier. Silver and grey balloons, streamers, even a wonderful two tier cake glossed in silver frosting with buildings of different ages drawn around it.

Emily was the one who made it, she made sure everyone got a cake on their birthday. Apparently the daughter of love was an aspiring baker who gushed about her dream to bake in Paris. With how good Annabeth's cake tasted, Rhode thought she'd be famous in no time.

She was eager for her own cake if it ended up half as well as Annabeth's.

Taking advantage of her musings, Annabeth went for a sneak attack, tricky little thing, but Rhode blocked it. She looked down into those owlishly blinking grey eyes and smiled, "Come on, you thought it was going to be that easy?"

"…A little." Annabeth admitted with a pout.

Shaking her head, the scion of the sea called for a time out and knelt down, "Okay," She started, gently grasping Annabeth's dagger wrist. She was holding it well enough, good grip was important after all. "Remember, when you clash your blade-"

"Slide in, press my thumb on my guard, and twist." Annabeth recited perfectly.

Rhode smiled at her and ruffled her blonde hair, getting a whine, "Exactly. Now, once more." She said, raising to her feet and took a few paces back.

Annabeth took a breath and narrowed her eyes, trying to put on her best game face. She only ended up looking adorable, like a small kitten.

Said small kitten charged once more, but Rhode moved in as well and blocked some of the strikes, swaying left and right for the rest and would occasionally give Annabeth a few openings to try and rob the daughter of Poseidon of her weapon.

Rhode went for a weak strike, Annabeth seized the moment and clashed their daggers. Sliding in and adjusting her thumb, Annabeth twisted her wrist with all she had and sent Rhode's weapon clattering to the ground. The blonde paused, a look of awe on her round faced features, "I-I did it? I did!" she cheered, "I wo-" just as she was going to voice her victory, her arm was grabbed and she was twisted to the ground, face first.

She released a grunt from her lips as Rhode sat on her back, holding her dagger arm, "Just because you disarmed them, doesn't mean you've got them beat, Bethy."

Rhode may have let her get the move off, but that didn't mean she was going to let her win. She had a rep after all, Annabeth had to earn her victory.

"Ow." Annabeth muttered from Rhode's weight on her small frame.

Rhode, deciding they achieved what they sought out to do, released her friend's arm and stood up, bringing the blonde with her. She dusted off Annabeth's shirt and smiled at her, "Still, nice job."

"…You let me get the move off, didn't you?" The child of wisdom pouted, a knowing look in her eyes.

"You still did it." Rhode deflected, "That was the purpose of this little lesson."

Annabeth just wrinkled her nose, grumbling a little.

The daughter of Poseidon offered a small laugh, "Come on, no pouting Bethy." She said and moved over to where their stuff was. Grabbing a towel, she tossed it to Annabeth, who caught it, and grabbed another, wiping the sweat from her brow, "You still have a birthday gift after all."

The blonde, who was toweling her hair, blinked, "But, I got all my gifts." She said, a beaming smile on her face. All those books, oh it was going to be so much fun reading them.

Rhode rolled her eyes at the sparkles in Annabeth's eyes. Practically all her siblings got the young girl books. The sea child found that to be boring. Seriously, they lived in a library they claimed was a cabin, Annabeth had plenty of books to read. Get her something fun people, duh!

"Well I got you one too, did you think I forgot?" she asked her young friend, getting a shake of her blonde head, "Good." Rhode nodded and picked up a small box in green paper. She handed it to Annabeth, who proceeded to tear it to shreds.

Giddily, she opened it. Annabeth reached in and pulled out a snow globe, "Hm?" Annabeth tilted her head at it and gasped, "It's Big Ben!" she gushed, shaking it to get the flakes to fly.

Rhode gave her a smirk, "But that's not just a snow globe."

Annabeth gave her a confused look, shaking the snow globe once more, "Looks like a snow globe to me." She stated.

"Well, yeah, but it's also a promise." The daughter of Poseidon informed with a knowing smirk.

"For what?"

Rhode pulled Annabeth into a half-hug, smiling down at her, "When you get older, you, me, and Luke are going to Big Ben. That's the promise." She said, making Annabeth nearly drop the snow globe in shock. She squealed in happiness and hugged Rhode as tight as she could, saying that she was the best.

Rhode laughed at that. The original plan was to go see Big Ben itself, but Chiron grounded that idea as soon as Rhode brought it up. They argued for a few minutes about it, until Chiron came up with a clever compromise, getting the daughter of the sea to relent.

Breaking out of her thoughts, Annabeth was listing all the stuff she wanted to do when they got there and how she was going to see if she could find a book on it right now.

Rhode ruffled her hair, "Happy Birthday, Annabeth."

"Thanks Rhode." Annabeth smiled, giving her another hug.

* * *

Rhode laughed to herself as she put down the plate containing a slice cake on her nightstand while moving to sit on her new bed. It was July thirty first and she had just had her first, well technically second, birthday at camp and the party just ended.

Reclining onto the bed, she peered around her room. The spare bunk beds were gone. With the help of Lee, she had gotten them shrunk and stored in a shoebox on a shelf. They managed to cut the last bunk bed in half and put the two separate beds side by side to be mended together with transfiguration, Lee was pretty good at it.

With so much free space, Rhode, using her BlackBerry, made a few orders and bought some stuff using the money she exchanged at Gringotts and put in her new account at Bank of America. Her money manager wanted to have solid investments in both muggle and magical stock and so placed a good bit of her cash in the American bank to allow him to invest in the muggle side of things. Since her purchases were too pricey for her spending account, she'd had to dip into the investment money to pay for them, but she didn't think the few thousand dollars she spent made even a dent in the account's bottom line.

Now, Rhode never had major money before, so she only got practical stuff. A nice soft couch, a shelf, and a coffee table.

But she made one major purchase that really mattered.

She got a big TV.

Rhode, Annabeth, and Luke had been having Friday movie nights ever since. Su, Lee, Jack and her other friends had all joined them once or twice too. Though the clean up afterwards was a hassle from the the snacks and stuff, but it was still well worth it.

Gaige had set up her cable and when asked how many channels she had access to, the daughter of Hephaestus merely said.

"All the channels."

And then proceeded to giggle uncontrollably, smiling madly.

Yeah, Gaige was weird like that.

Pushing off her large bed, she moved over to the huge corkboard she had purchased. All the pictures she had ever taken were scattered about, the good ones at least, along with the postcards she had from the various states she had visited during her travels. There were pictures of her group. Some of her and Luke, others of her and Annabeth. And then pictures of all of them, Thalia included, pinned up. She also had pictures of Su and Lee she had taken at Hogwarts. Even some of camp life with all her new friends. But in the center of all the pictures was the most important one.

It was of her and Thalia, around the first week they had met. Arms around each other's shoulders, smiling brightly at the camera.

Rhode raised her fingers to the image, lightly brushing Thalia's face, "Another year older, Thals. Miss you." She said sadly, leaning her forehead against the image, closing her eyes. She shook her head and turned to look over to the other gaping space in her cabin. She had ordered a drawing table, and with some art supplies exchanged for a few favors from Cabin Seven, she'd have a nice little art station where she could draw…with a spinning chair because that was a must for any art station, and also because it would be fun.

She turned to the mirror she had and viewed the scar adoring her forehead. It had faded a bit after the Horcrux had been removed. It was still there, but it had become more of a thin line and was not as protruding as it had been before. She traced it with her finger for a moment. Thanatos' quest coming back to mind and how she'd have to go back to Hogwarts. Ugh, it was her birthday, she didn't need to think about that now. She eyed her cloak hanging off her bedpost. It was still weird to know she had the cloak of death itself.

Rhode moved back to her cake, which Emily had made and literally moaned as she took a bite. It was a cake that tasted like Skittles. Apparently Emily melted some Skittles and drizzled the liquefied candy over the cake and let it seep in after it was baked. She then lathered it in sweet green frosting. Adding some colorful fish on the sides as decoration to top it off. Overall, it was a masterpiece of a cake.

After finishing the slice, Rhode bounced back onto her bed and looked at the book on her nightstand. The Great Quotes of Winston Churchill. Annabeth's idea, the guy was actually her half-brother, and Rhode had to admit, he had a lot of good sayings. Except that one about not washing his hands after using the toilet, that was gross. Luke had gotten her a huge Skittle supply, something she would be ever grateful for; and a pretty slick switchblade. It had a four inch polished brown wood handle and the blade was three inches of stainless steel, plus it folded. So it was pretty handy to carry. Would've come in handy last year, but hey, it was better late than never she reasoned.

Lee had gotten her some comic book, it was called Fathom. The main character was a girl with water powers, so it was pretty cool. Atlanta had given her some CDs to listen to, the No Way Out album by P. Diddy and the Astro Lounge album by Smash Mouth. Now, Rhode wasn't a Punk Purist like Thalia, so when Atlanta said to try them out, she ended up liking the artists, it was very foot tapping.

And Emily had helped her get her first bra, it was still embarrassing to be taught on the topic. Rhode just hoped they didn't get bigger, it sounded like they'd be a pain later on if they did.

Rolling around her soft sheets, Rhode came face to face with the stupidest gift she had gotten, and it of course came from Jack.

It was a plush toy. A plushie of a white baby seal with big sea green eyes. He said it was a perfect copy of herself when she pouts.

Reaching out, she poked one of the plastic eyes, "I look nothing like that." Rhode muttered to herself, poking it once more. With a huff, she twisted around, giving the baby seal the cold shoulder, "It's not even that cute." In the total time of ten seconds, she reached out behind her to grab it, bringing it in front of her to hug it, "Okay, so maybe it's a little cute…but it's still stupid."

She soon released the stupid fuzz ball and looked out the window towards the sea. The afternoon sun was coming down and blended with the waters at the bottom of it, making it glisten. Rhode got up and grabbed her digital camera, taking a picture, smiling at the sight. Putting down the device, Rhode hummed in thought, "Maybe…yeah." She nodded and headed out of the cabin, wanting to take a swim before dinner.

Popping a piece of Trident bubblegum in her mouth, Rhode headed for the beach. A part of her was hoping that maybe Thetis would show up or something, or maybe she would get a sign from her dad. She hoped.

_I am awesome!_ A voice neighed boastfully in the sky and Rhode looked up to see a blaze of red zoom through the skies. The daughter of the Stormbringer laughed at seeing Flóga fly around. Her wings had finally grown big enough to support her body and she was learning to fly from the older pegasi. She was a natural of course, or as she liked to say; the bomb diggity.

Rhode moved to see the crashing waves hit the sandy beach and remembered her first surfing lesson with Atlanta. The daughter of Apollo said she was a natural and could make some pretty wicked waves. Rhode had to admit, surfing was cool. She needed to get her own board for next summer for sure.

Wading through the waves, Rhode dove into the depths of the Long Island Sound.

Passing a school of fish, she made it back to the same rocky spot she met Thetis last time. Sitting down on the big rock, it felt like hours ticked by as she adjusted her position, floating around absentmindedly once the boredom set in, and pouty once she realized that it was just her and Skittles in the ocean.

Wait…Skittles?!

Rhode almost snapped her neck to see the hippocampus she had dubbed Skittles once more, "Skittles!" she cheered and hugged the water horse around her neck, "You got bigger." She praised, stroking her scaly mane.

Skittles just whined in agreement, licking her face, getting a laugh from Rhode.

"If you're here that means," she stopped her sentence with excitement, looking forward to see Thetis.

She was momentarily disappointed because it certainly wasn't the beautiful sea nymph visiting her. Unless she had a sex change, which Rhode found to be highly unlikely.

It was a tall man, easily six feet and maybe a little taller than that. He seemed like some regular beachgoer. He wore leather sandals, khaki Bermuda shorts, and a Tommy Bahama shirt with fishes printed in an assortment of colors. His skin was deeply tanned, his hands scarred like an old-time fisherman's. His hair was jet black, just like hers. His face had a soft smile on it, which made Rhode's chest feel tight for some reason. And his eyes, it was like looking in a mirror, sea green, which were surrounded by sun-crinkles like he smiled a lot.

Rhode's mouth felt dry just looking at the man, despite being in the ocean. Then, it was like a flash flood of old memories, ones she would hardly ever remember, moved to the front parts of her mind.

Her, cradled in his arms, as he whispered ancient Greek stories in her ear, adding his own personal commentary. Her in the bathtub, playing with a rubber ducky and bubbles with him. Pulling his beard while giggling happily and sucking her thumb, just staring up into those sea green eyes as she would say-

"Dad…" She breathed out the word under her breath, nearly swallowing her gum. She was stunned, trying to register that her dad, Poseidon, god and king of the sea, was right before her.

In beachwear.

She wasn't going to lie, that one came out of left field.

"Rhode." He said back, his voice was strong, but gentle at the same time, like a wave.

There was silence between the two as Skittles swam behind Rhode, and proceeded to use her head to nudge the daughter of the sea closer to her dad. Rhode was trying to get over the shock that her godly parent was before her, right here, right now and so she didn't resist. It wasn't until she was only an arm's length away from her father that she recovered enough to gesture to the hippocampus to stop.

"Well, I guess I can say I beat Luke by a year." Rhode said the first thing that came to mind.

Let it be known that Rhode Evans suffers from Foot in Mouth syndrome.

A maelstrom of emotions filtered through Rhode's heart, each trying to surface, struggling to be the first. The one that made it to the top was of course her anger.

"You cursed me by conceiving me in spite of an Oath on the River Styx?" She stated firmly, even as she threw her arms over her head in a sign of her frustration.

"Yes, well," Poseidon said, rubbing the back of his neck, "You see-"

"The River Styx." Rhode cut him off brazenly. Now, one would think it was nuts to interrupt a god, they had that whole 'No-No' to disrespect rule.

But Rhode hated rules, so she was going to speak her mind.

"Ah-"

"Oath!" Rhode accused heatedly as she pointed her finger in her open palm.

Poseidon had a sheepish look on his face, which just felt so out of place on a god. Not that she was, as she thought about it, a particularly good judge of what a god should look like. Of the gods she had met, the triathlon fashioned Hermes, the child sized Artemis, the recovering addict that was Dionysus, and the trollish death god Thanatos, none of them had fit what she had imagined for a god in either terms of appearance or actions.

A good honest part of Rhode was mad at her dad. In fact, all demigods were mad at their parents to some degree. Oh, sure, they'd sing songs and praise about them, and others genuinely love their parents, as part of her did, no doubt. But there would always be that tiny spark in them, that little angry spark that was pissed that their parents made their lives dangerous, robbing them of normalcy. It ranged between demigods, but it was always there, no matter what.

But Rhode also knew that he went right to the millimeter of the line of the Ancient Laws, just for her sake to help when she needed him. For that she couldn't help but feel happy at seeing him before her.

Rhode hated how her feelings were conflicting right now, she should be mad, but was still happy. Stupid feelings, why did you have to be so confusing?

"And not only that! You didn't do anything to help the Potters stay safe from Voldejerk, or protect me from the Dursleys, or anything about Dumbledore when he was jerking around with my life! _Where were you!_ " Rhode exclaimed at the top of her voice, bubbles escaping her lips at her volume.

She felt a sense of Deja Vu, it was like that time when Luke had met Hermes. She could definitely say she understood Luke better now.

"You're done?" Poseidon asked cautiously, eyes weary as if he was in front of a bomb in the form of a prepubescent girl.

"For now," Rhode replied testily. "But I reserve the right to continue when I feel like it."

"Of course." Poseidon said in agreement, nodding his head.

"Are you patronizing me, dad?" Rhode said warningly, eyes narrowed.

"No, no! I'm completely serious." Poseidon said to his daughter's surprise. "I know I have done many things that you can justly find fault with. Allowing you to vent your anger about them to me is the least I can do. That and of course apologize, which I do profusely."

"Dad..." Rhode uttered, at a loss for words in the face of her father's honesty. Recovering herself though she continued, "You're taking responsibility!? But... the Oath? The Ancient Laws? Didn't they stop you from helping more?"

"They were obstacles, yes. But they weren't insurmountable. Difficult to do so, yes. But not impossible. As your father, I should have tried harder. Especially after finding out how you had suffered." Poseidon said, even as his face clouded in grief at the hardships his Little Pearl had to endure in her young life because of the burden her lineage placed upon her.

Seeing her father genuinely upset at what she had gone through cooled what simmering anger had remained from the dousing his honesty had left her with. In that moment, seeing her dad sad on her behalf she, if only for the moment, forgot about all the blame she put at his feet for all her tribulations. There and then, all that mattered was he was her dad and he cared about her and he was feeling sad and she needed to comfort him. Putting thoughts into action, Rhode closed the distance between her and the god and hugged him.

She wouldn't admit it out loud, but when he closed his powerful arms around her, she just felt happiness. Just to have her dad hold her like this? It was possibly the best birthday gift she could have asked for.

When they released each other, Rhode moved back to arm's length, looking at her dad, "So, um…" she trailed off awkwardly, unsure what else to honestly say. She kind of got all she needed to off her chest.

Poseidon gestured to the rock she was sitting on previously and moved to sit down. Resting her legs against her chest and hugging them, Rhode looked at her dad out the corner of her eye as a shark passed by them.

"Can you be here, you know, Ancient Laws and all?" Rhode asked cautiously. She didn't want him getting in trouble because of her. Well, more trouble.

Poseidon had a twinkle in his eye, "Well, you are in the ocean. And I, as king of the ocean, can go anywhere in my domain. If say my child just so happened to be in my domain…I can sneak a visit." He winked, getting a smile from his daughter.

With that, a silence soon settled between them. It was uncomfortable so Rhode decided to speak, "So-"

"I-" Poseidon started and they both halted, "You can go first." He gestured.

"No, no, you first." Rhode encouraged with a similar gesture.

"Well," Poseidon cleared his throat, "How's school so far?" he said, curiosity in his tone.

Rhode wrinkled her nose, trying to formulate her answer, "Well, I did pretty good on my finals."

"That's good."

"But I kind of get detentions left and right." She said, giving him a weak smile.

A faint smile played on his lips and he chuckled, "Obedience does not come naturally to you, does it?"

"Nope." Rhode said it with a clear sense of pride.

"I must take some blame for that, I suppose. The sea does not like to be restrained." He explained with mirth.

"…I like that saying." Rhode smiled, she just found her newest excuse to use in the future. Nice.

Poseidon let out a proud chortle at that, making Rhode smile wider.

"Still, that place is a nuthouse!" Rhode complained, waving an arm in the water, "I mean, common sense just goes out the window there. What's up with that?"

Poseidon just shrugged, "Magicals have never been the brightest of the mortals from what I can remember."

Rhode rolled her eyes, "Duh."

The sea god stared at her then, giving a soft smile, "You have your mother's looks, the almond shape of her eyes as well, but my shade of green. It's like the perfect blend between the two of us." He complimented.

At the mention of Lily, Rhode frowned, looking down as she prickled with anger. Seeing this, Poseidon frowned as well.

"…I... Rhode, I am sorry for what happene-"

"Dad," Rhode's voice was harsh and low, "I don't want to talk about her…not now."

"…I see." The god said and changed the topic, "Well, I'm glad that court nonsense is over with. A part of me just wanted to be up front and wash the situation away for you, maybe drown a few people who deserved it. But you know, no interference and all that." He said with a soured face.

"You were watching?" Rhode asked, forgetting her annoyance at that stupid excuse of a case that it's mention had briefly brought up.

Poseidon nodded, "Of course I did. Zeus did too, he just loves his little courtroom dramas. He has every Law and Order DVD boxset you know." He rolled his eyes. Ugh, he just loved to talk about Jack McCoy and Lenny Briscoe.

Rhode gave a distasteful snort at the mention of her sky uncle, the guy wasn't really in her top ten.

Poseidon pursed his lips. Okay, so no talking about Zeus. Best not even mention Hades as well, or her mother. The god inwardly sighed, this was probably why he didn't have daughters often, it was just so hard to read them.

"How's that trident coming along?" he asked her. Normally, his children just used swords, or spears, or knifes, you never see them use a trident besides Triton. Rhode however had shown to have a good arm for polearms, so he decided to give her a trident and was curious of what she thought of it.

"Pretty good." Rhode said, pulling out the spyglass, twirling it between her fingers, "Named it Spellbound."

"…Spellbound?" he repeated, making his daughter turn to him.

"Are you pouting?" Rhode asked, blinking at him.

"What? No! Of course not." He said with a broody look on his face. Spellbound? Seriously? What about the home team?!

Rhode just looked at his face, so that's where she got her broody look from. "So, I, uh, redecorated the cabin a bit…hope you don't mind." She said.

Poseidon, who had lost his broody look, waved her off, "No, no, it is your home. So you can change it as you see fit." He said, giving her permission, "Well, just the inside of course." He enforced.

"Cool," Rhode nodded, "Cool, I mean, all those spare beds were just taking up space. It's not like I have other siblings, right?" she asked with a laugh.

"No." Poseidon shook his head with a laugh, "Of course not." Though if one was sharp enough they would have heard the faintly anxious quality to it.

"I mean," Rhode thought on it, "I guess a brother or sister would be cool, but whatever." She shrugged, "I've got enough on my plate with Annabeth." She shook her head. That one was just a handful.

"Athena's daughter?" he asked, thankful for the change in subject. He received a nod, "I can never understand how you two wound up as friends."

Rhode groaned, "Just because you and her mom have a tiff doesn't mean we have to carry it on."

"Hm, true." Poseidon admitted.

"Still, horses and olives?"

"It was a big deal back then!" Poseidon protested.

"Riiight." Rhode nodded in good humor.

Poseidon just grumbled and looked up at the surface, "Ah, it seems the dinner horn is blowing." He said to Rhode, getting a tiny frown from her.

A part of her still wanted to talk to her dad, but then again, he was a god. He had king of the sea stuff to do.

The sea god hummed, "Word through the grapevine is that you received a godly phone from Thanatos, correct?" Rhode nodded. "May I see it?" he asked and Rhode pulled it out of her pocket. Since it was a godly phone, it was waterproof. Handing it to the god, he punched in some buttons. "There." He smiled and handed it back to her, "If you want to call me, for anything, you can." He said sincerely.

Rhode's heart warmed at that and looked at her contact list, "Amphitrite and Triton, too?" she asked with an arched brow.

"It's the family share plan." Poseidon explained.

"Oh."

"Still, I think you should head to dinner for now, Rhode." He told her.

Rhode, pocketing her phone, looked at her dad one last time and gave him an awkward hug, one he returned, "Well, um, bye, dad." She waved and started to swim away, back to the surface.

She was about five kicks away when Poseidon called out her name, "Rhode!"

She turned around.

There was a different light in his eyes, a fiery kind of pride. "Know that I love you, dearly. And whatever you do, know that you are mine. You are a true daughter of the Sea God." He told her firmly, a smile on his face.

And right then and there, she gave her dad the brightest smile she could offer and continued to swim back the Camp Half-Blood, feeling content.

* * *

Rhode grumbled as she headed to the forge. The forge had white marble columns lining walls stained with soot. Chimneys on the roof pumped smoke over a gable with carvings of gods and monsters. The forge was located at the edge of a stream, with water wheels spinning bronze gears.

As to why she was going there, Rhode had busted her sword (Again!) in practice. Seriously, she went through more swords then Luke, and that was saying something! So, she thought maybe Gaige could help her forge her own sword, since she had some…difficulties in Arts and Crafts.

Hey, at least children of Hephaestus can take the heat, right?

It had only been a few days since she had turned twelve and saw her dad, Poseidon. In minor celebration of finally meeting him, she changed her hair streaks to a sea green color, to match her eyes. She was planning on changing them every summer.

As she made it to the forges, Rhode went to speak, but a hulking mass made her pause. She looked up to see a large floating legless torso with huge arms with claw-like fingers, and a square head that had a single large glowing red eye. It had art designs on it, like an Anarchy symbol, a skull, bones, a padlock heart, and even tally marks. It was by a wall, under a sign that said 'Gaige's Wall, No Touching!', which was the NRA's dream come true. It was lined with guns. Shotguns, rifles, handguns, even a sniper rifle or two…and was that a bazooka? Some were glowing and others looked normal.

There was also a handgun with a knife attached to it. It was on a plaque with the words 'Da Law' under it.

"I'm just saying Gaige, you could change the circuits here for more optimum power." The voice of Nils drew Rhode's eyes away to find that him at a work table, talking with Gaige.

"And I'm telling you that would ruin the laser eye calibrations!" Gaige shot back, annoyance in her tone, her usual celestial bronze arm was gone and replaced with a sleeker steel-like one as she rested her chin on it.

"Who's the one with an MD in engineering?" Nils asked her, making Gaige bark out a snorting laugh.

"Please," she rolled her eyes, "Unlike you, I don't need a flimsy piece of paper to tell me how much of a mechanical badass I am. I'm a freaking Mechromancer and you're just a code monkey."

"Yes," Nils nodded mockingly, "Says the one that wanted to use a nuclear power core." He shot right back.

Gaige scowled, "It's not my fault Chiron went all bent out of shape on that. I mean, it was only a little plutonium! But nooo! It was all radiation this, safety of the campers that. Bleh." She pouted and crossed her arms like a little kid, "So ruined my creative mojo that day!"

"Because that is the real issue." Nils said dryly at her childishness.

"Whatever!" Gaige threw her arms in the air, "Go back to building your little Gundams or something." She said, giving him a shooing motion with her metal limb, "Shoo, shoo."

Nils shook his head, "Why is it so hard to work with you?" he asked and went to exit the forge, "And for your information they are relaxing to build!" he said at the slight to his hobby.

"I'm sure your girlfriend loves to hear that!" Gaige shouted, eyes on her blueprints.

Nils greeted Rhode as he left, muttering something about crazy geniuses.

Rhode wondered if she had just witnessed a clash of egos, because that's what it looked like.

"Ugh, Megan!" Gaige shouted, "I need hot cocoa!" she demanded, despite the sweltering heat of the forge.

Suddenly, a walking table about three feet high with a round, mahogany top, bronze base, three movable legs, and little steam vents sticking up on one side came over to her with a mug of what Rhode presumed was cocoa, on it.

"Thank you!" Gaige sang out and patted the table, "You are just such a good girl," she cooed, "Seriously, best assistant ever." She took a quick sip and gave a blissful sigh, "Dammit, that's really good."

The table, dubbed Megan, released some steam from its (her?) vents. It turned around and tapped her leg noisily at seeing Rhode.

"Huh?" Gaige said, mid-sip and turned around. After putting the mug down, she smiled, "Sup girl!" she cheered with that loony smile on her face.

"Hey Gaige," the daughter of Poseidon waved, "Get into a tiff with Nils?" she asked.

"Huh?" Gaige blinked but laughed, waving it off, "Nah, we just have too many different ideas and think differently. Seriously, outside my cabin, he's the only one I can honestly respect with engineering. He's more of the guy looking for alternative powers sources for mortals while I just want to build pure badassary." She shrugged, "So, what're you here for?"

Rhode rubbed the back of her neck, "Well, I kind of need some help. I tried making a sword during Arts and Crafts and-"

"You set Chucky's hair on fire, yeah," Gaige gave a snorting giggle, "Man that was funny. He's going to be bald for a bit."

"So…yeah, can you maybe help me?" Rhode asked the older girl with a sheepish smile.

Gaige's metal fingers rubbed her chin, "I could…for a price."

"What?" Rhode blinked, "But-!"

Gaige held up a hand to stop her, "I don't do work for free. My minions do. I, on the other hand, am an artist at making things to kill other things." She explained sagely, and gestured to the robot floating nearby, "Like Deathtrap here. He's my killbot. Say hi, boy."

Deathtrap raised one of its arms and waved at Rhode, before it settled it down and stood (?) perfectly still as it floated.

Creepy.

"Isn't he just the cutest thing ever?" Gaige cooed at her mechanical baby of death and carnage.

"Uuh, sure." Rhode said, just to be safe. "So what do you want?"

"Hm," Gaige hummed and her eyes landed on Rhode's cuff bracelet, "That." She pointed.

Rhode took a step back, her hand clamped over the bracelet and glared heatedly at Gage, "Like hell!" she snapped.

"Hey, hey! Calm your burner girl, sheesh." The older girl rolled her eyes, "I didn't mean I wanted it. I just want to borrow it for a day."

"Why?" Rhode demanded, still edgy on the idea of giving her bracelet. She practically, never (ever!) took it off.

"Duh!" Gaige said as if it was the most obvious thing ever, "I want to study it." She looked at the bracelet like it was some rare exotic jewel, "My dad made that in his heyday. Do you know what type of enchantments are on there? God-tier, god-tier ones!" she explained with a deep passion in her voice, "I want to look at them first hand." She said in an eager tone, "You can even stay as I check it out."

Rhode had a conflicted look in her eyes, "…You promise to give it right back?"

Gaige held up her metal arm and placed her real hand over her heart, "Cross my heart and hope to die, stick a cupcake in my eye." She swore with utmost seriousness.

"Cupcake?"

"I love cupcakes." Gaige nodded sagely.

Rhode was hesitant, but after taking a few moments to debate it in her head, she carefully took off her bracelet and when she did, it felt as though her right wrist was naked. The weight that she had grown so accustomed to was gone. "Here." She said, handing it over and Gaige squealed in delight at it, grasping it with utmost care. She placed it down near her work station for further study. As Gaige got some tools out, she noticed Rhode taking sneaking glances at her arm.

"Wanna hear how I lost it?" the builder asked with a grin, getting a flush from Rhode.

"Oh, I, um, I didn't mean to-" she fumbled with her words, but Gaige waved it off.

"Nah, I don't honestly care, so it's cool." Gaige said with a shrug, "So, wanna hear or not?" she asked while grabbing some measuring tape.

Rhode gave a small nod.

"So I was tinkering and I sliced my arm with some sheet metal. Not a big cut, barely went like halfway to the bone. And I was all like, ugh, stupid fleshy arm, why do you bleed? So, as blood began to spurt from the gash in my forearm, I realized it! A cybernetic limb!" Gaige smiled brightly, fanning her arms in the air, "So I figured, what the heck and sliced off the rest of my arm with a particle saw. Then Chiron was like 'Ah, eh, uh!' and blood was _everywhere_ in the forge. But after a few hours and a few pints of blood later, I built a metal arm strong enough to smash concrete!" she cheered happily, beaming at her sheer genius and punched a nearby table, breaking it into timber, "Ehehe, yes! So metal, right?"

"…Uh, yes?" Rhode said, questioning Gaige's sanity. Like, a lot.

"Yeah, I know." Gaige nodded and held up the measuring tape, "Okay, first, let me get some measurements from you so I can make it just right."

Rhode just nodded and they were just about to get underway when a voice was heard at the entrance to the forge.

"Gaige, Gaige!"

Both girls turned to see Emily poking her head in the forge.

"Emily?" Gaige squeaked, sitting a little straighter.

The daughter of Aphrodite walked in, wiping her brow because she was already sweating from the heat, "Honestly, how can you stand it in here?"

"You get used to it." Gaige stated, her fleshy fingers tapping her worktable, "So, what's up?"

Emily put her hands on her curvy hips and said, "You honestly need to get out of here every once in a while, it's not good for your skin." She stated in a chiding way, making Gaige look the other way.

"It's fine." The builder argued weakly.

"No, it's not." Emily huffed and grabbed Gaige by her metal arm, "Come on, I got some cookies freshly baked. You can have some with the others."

Rhode saw Gaige's face heat up, must've been from the forges.

"But I have stuff of doom to make!"

"You can make them later, cookies first."

"…Better be double chocolate chip." Gaige relented as she was dragged from the forge.

"Your favorite, I know." Emily smiled brightly at her as she led Gaige along.

Rhode just scratched the back of her head, "Uh, what about my sword?"

She got no answer.

* * *

It was a Friday in mid-August. Rhode was looking over her newest sword that Gaige had forged for her and she had to say it was pretty good. It felt ten times better than any sword she'd ever used.

Well, except Riptide, but this one came pretty close.

Rhode took a sip of her morning milk and heard the clopping of hooves. Huh, Chiron was late this morning. She looked up and promptly spat out her milk in a fine mist at what was before her, coughing a bit as the white liquid dribbled down her chin.

In fact, everyone was either choking on their breakfast or spit-taking their drinks.

There was Chiron, in a pink, puffy and ruffled, prom dress.

Rhode grabbed her digital camera and took a picture.

Snickers broke out as people were trying to keep calm. Some held their hands over their mouths, others bit their lips, as Chiron's sharp eyes scanned the crowd of half-bloods.

"Date tonight?" Mr. D asked the immortal trainer.

Chiron promptly ignored him.

Rhode looked over to table eleven, only they could have pulled this off. They had their best angel faces on, but no matter what, they were still grinning, bumping fists and low-fiving each other under the table.

"Good morning everyone." Chiron greeted the campers in a calm voice, as if he wasn't in a dress, "As you can see by my attire, I have been subjected to a prank. Please note, that this is superglued to my skin and hide." He noted with a finger in the air, "Now, onto bigger news. We will be having a very special Capture the Flag later tonight. You see, it is a rare one cabin versus all event." He smiled, looking at Cabin Eleven, but mostly Lee, dead in the eye.

"What?" Lee blinked and that one word led to his downfall.

"Thank you, Mr. Jordan, for volunteering your cabin." Chiron chortled with a scary smile.

"Hey, wait?! I didn't!"

"Nonsense." Chiron waved him off, a big smile on his face, "Why, just think of the praise you'll receive from the rest of your cabin for your daring nerve."

Lee was sweating a bit at the looks his cabin-mates were giving him.

"Now then, be sure to enjoy yourselves everyone, because I know I will." Chiron finished and started to eat his breakfast.

"I like this side of you." Mr. D smiled in praise of his co-worker.

And that night it was the most one-sided slaughter of a CTF match recorded in the last fifty years.

And that's why the camp bead for that summer was a centaur in a prom dress. It was just _that_ memorable. Chiron demanded another be issued out, but it was up to the head counselors what the bead was, and they didn't change their decision. Plus it made for funny moments when the trainer eyed the beads, as his eyebrow would twitch. Every. Single. Time.

* * *

"I still can't believe we have to get all these books from this one guy." Rhode said as she licked her blue sea salt ice cream popsicle, "I mean, for all our other subjects we get to use all our other books from last year since they transfer to this one, but for DADA it's like I'm buying a whole new set of books." Rhode complained as she Luke, Annabeth, Lee, his mom, Su, and her dad walked down Diagon Alley together to get the Hogwarts students their school supplies for the year. They were currently heading towards Flourish and Bouts for their books after getting some ice cream and cashing up at Gringotts.

"I hear we have a celebrity as our new DADA teacher." Su smiled, enjoying her chocolate ice cream.

Rhode raised an eyebrow at her, "Didn't know you were a celeb type person, Su?"

The daughter of Demeter flushed, "I'm not, but I've heard that this one is really accomplished."

"Who is he?" Annabeth asked as she was licking some vanilla ice cream, getting some on her nose.

"Here." Luke said to Annabeth, giving her a napkin and tapping his nose. He took a bite out of his ice cream sandwich and pocketed his napkins.

Annabeth flushed and cleaned her nose quickly.

Lee snorted, "Please, the guy is a first class fool." He brushed off, "I'm getting my books second hand or as cheap as I can get them. Then, once the year is over, I'm burning them." He stated, "I can't stand him."

"I have all his books," Mrs. Jordan said, making her son blanch. Mrs. Jordan was a tall curvy woman, like you'd see on a fashion magazine with the same complexion as her son with rich black brown hair that swirled down the middle of her back like chocolate curls. Her brown eyes danced with mischief, much like her son's would as the woman just gave off a mischievous nature. "My book club raves about him," Mrs. Jordan shrugged. A housewife needed something to do other than watching morning shows and doing some side projects to keep busy.

Mr. Li gave a distasteful snort, "I agree with your son, the man is nothing but a Jester."

Rhode looked between them, "So, who is he?" repeating Annabeth's question.

"Gilderoy Lockhart." Su and Lee said, one in fascination, the other in distaste.

"Sounds unimportant." Rhode commented, licking her ice cream. Mm, salty.

After finishing their frozen treats, they soon entered the bookstore. Rhode and Su going for their Lockhart books with Annabeth at their tails. Luke and Lee went to look at some other books, the latter informing his half-brother of some nice books on pranks. Mr. Li and Mrs. Jordan were just chatting with each other, comparing demigod children notes and swapping stories.

As soon as the girls started to read the titles, Rhode said, "Wanna share them and split the cost?" she said while looking at Break with a Banshee.

"I guess so. It would save money, plus we do our homework together and take the class at different times. So it's perfect." Su nodded while skimming some of Year with the Yeti.

"This looks dumb." Annabeth said as she was flipping the page from Travels with Trolls, "And the titles are weak."

As they went to purchase the books, Lee jogged up to them, "You will not believe what I heard." He grinned. His mother looked at him, intrigued.

"What now, you gossip hound?" Rhode smirked.

"When Lockhart was doing some autograph signing here, daddy Weasley and daddy Malfoy broke into a fight." He laughed, like it was hilarious.

Mrs. Jordan shook her head, "Poor Arthur, he has a good heart, but he can be so brash at times."

"I do enjoy the fact that someone took a shot at the Malfoy elder," Mr. Li smiled, "He's had it a long time coming."

"Father," Su chided with a tiny frown.

"Right?" Lee nodded, "Ah man, to punch Malfoy senior in the face. Lucky him."

"Guy looked like a breeze could take him down." Rhode snorted.

"I hear we get the same shampoo." Mrs. Jordan winked, that got laughs all around.

After that, Rhode had to make a detour at Madam Malkin's Robes. Due to a growth spurt, she needed to get her uniform refitted. She noticed that the seamstress would enchant clothes and asked if they could enchant clothes to protect them. Madam Malkin laughed good-naturedly and said of course.

Rhode had Thalia's jacket charmed to protect it from the elements, fire damage, stains, and even added creature repellent charms. She picked out all the creatures she could afford with the cash on her then, which amounted to a little over a dozen different types of creatures, one of which she made sure to be spiders, for Annabeth's sake, just for the heck of it. It cost her a pretty penny but it was worth it.

Annabeth, who was looking at a Hogwarts uniform, practically begged her to have her hoodie charmed with the same effect. Having the spare cash, though she had to borrow from Mrs. Jordan until she could get back to Gringotts for another top up, Rhode did so, but claimed it to be her coming Christmas gift.

Annabeth could handle that.

"Why were you eying the uniform?" Rhode ask the young blonde as she just handed over her hoodie.

"They look cool." Annabeth flushed and confessed.

"…You want one?" Rhode asked, getting Annabeth to look at her in shock.

"Yes." Annabeth shyly confirmed.

Rhode shrugged, "Why not. You can have something for Halloween."

Annabeth threw her arms around Rhode's waist, repeating 'thank you' over and over. And for the next twenty minutes, Annabeth happily went through her fitting for her very own tailored Ravenclaw uniform. All thanks to a little white lie saying she was a new student. Mrs. Jordan was very convincing.

Su clapped her hands at the sight as Annabeth spun around in her cloak and uniform, "You look like a proper witch, Annabeth."

"Think I could sneak in?" the young blonde asked teasingly.

"It'd be tough without magic." Rhode pointed out with a small smile.

"Worth a shot." Annabeth stated.

"Still, looks like we know what you're going as for Halloween." Luke chuckled.

"Now I just need a wand." Annabeth rubbed her chin.

"I'm not spending money on that, just grab a stick." Rhode said, crossing her arms.

Annabeth pouted with a reluctant nod.

After getting their jackets back, with Mr. Li and Mrs. Jordon helping to cover the unexpected costs for the moment. The group then made another trip to Gringotts so Rhode could withdraw some money to repay the adults, who only grudgingly accepted the money, and a little extra for some spending money while she was at school. After that last stop, they called it a day and returned to camp.

* * *

It was September first and it was time to head back to school. New students were bustling about Platform 9 3/4, friends greeting one another, families saying their goodbyes.

"Time to go." Rhode said, wearing her uniform. Turning to her family she hugged Luke and Annabeth goodbye as they stood in the booth.

"We'll see you at Christmas." Luke said with a smile, getting one in return from Rhode.

"And write as much as we can." Annabeth chirped.

"Just be sure to mind yourself and write, Su." Mr. Li said as he levitated Su's trunk into the overhead in the same booth.

"Yes, father." Su nodded.

The train whistle blew, "Time to go, guys." Rhode smiled at them.

After one final goodbye, their families left the train and Rhode reclined in her seat.

"Excited?" Su asked her with a tiny smile.

"As long as I don't have to do anything like at the end of last year, I think I'll be good." Rhode said with a weak smile.

And with that, the train jolted forward and started to leave the station.

It was time for their second year.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew, that was a long one. My second longest one I think actually for this fic. Hope you guys enjoyed it!
> 
> 1\. Gastrizein: A technique that involved a straight kick with the bottom of the foot to the stomach. Rhode used this in Ch6 on Crabbe...or Goyle. Whoever, just the one she kicked in the gut.
> 
> Sieg: Just refer to them as Dumbass 1 and Dumbass 2. Makes it easier.
> 
> Rhode got her therapy guys. That said, this doesn't magically solve all her issues. That's an ongoing process that the story is going to tackle in a realistic way by having it take time, which since in Rhode's case her issues are so deep seated that's got to be years.
> 
> On a related note, the therapy talk is heavily dumbed down. Neither I nor my collaborators are psychologists by training so whilst we kept it as simple and believable as possible, there's certainly going to be nuances we've missed. But we've tried our best while delivering the relevant points we wanted, so cut us some slack on that front, ok?
> 
> And guess who got a cameo? Riptide of course! Rhode wants a sword, an awesome sword! Percy will have to worry about his faithful sword cheating on him now. Stay tuned for the coming drama! XP
> 
> Sieg: Even in the midst of monsters and magic, adultery still happens. So...is Riptide cheating on Percy with Rhode, or Rhode with Percy...not too sure on that one.
> 
> Rhode's ice powers, the reason why this is called Unrelenting Frozen Seas, is that her anger is a cold burn anger, not a white hot anger. She will be slowly raising her skill with ice for the coming years. If you noticed at points, I have showed that Rhode's ice has come forth when she is angry. Her fight with the troll, her tears freezing while angry with the Potters, and now her training with Jack as her aggravation grew with her initial lack of progress.
> 
> It has finally happened, Rhode and Poseidon have met! Yes, squeal with joy, you know you want to. Rhode and Poseidon are in an awkward stage of their relationship, still feeling each other out, trying to make that connection. They are trying and doing pretty well considering the circumstances, know that. But this kind of thing takes time. She'll have more interaction than Percy you can say due to age and well, the phone. And yes, the family share plan is a thing. Rhode's not going to call him 24/7, but it's good for her to know she can contact her dad and try to get to know him more.
> 
> Also, Zeus being a big fan of Law and Order is my headcanon.
> 
> Don't forget to check out the Reading of this story by Bonesboy15!
> 
> Next chapter: Rhode learns the fine art of plumbing! Will it be her future career? Who knows! Well, I do, you don't, so there.
> 
> Sieg: Sometimes I get the feeling you take some kind of perverse pleasure in leaving your readers in such a state. Such a tease...
> 
> Have a good Valantine's Day people!
> 
> Now, please review, no flames, and peace off!


	12. Year Two: I Become a Plumber

**Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson or Harry Potter.**

**The Unrelenting Frozen Seas: The Journey**

**Year Two: I Become a Plumber**

**Beta: Siegfried01**

* * *

The train ride to school had been a bit boring. To kill some time, Su and her had started on their muggle homework that Chiron had given them before leaving. Well, it was mostly Su who insisted they get an early start, something about a worm and a bird, Rhode had mostly tuned her out and just groaned at the prospect of doing her homework.

How come her friend was so educationally oriented?

She had met Ron on the train, who had a young girl with him who had long ginger hair.

Apparently, as Ron told them, her name was Ginny Weasley, the youngest of the Weasley clan and his only sister.

She was also a fan of Rhode Potter.

Yeah…that was annoying. She was so disturbingly overeager. Worse still, she seemed to honestly believe all the nonsense the Wizards seemed to say about her being some kind of magical savior and so practically worshipped the ground she walked on. In Rhode's eyes, the girl's behavior was plain distasteful.

Instead of going by boat, as Second Years they had to go by the coaches that were pulled by some freaky skeleton horses. When Rhode commented on this, the wizards just told her she was seeing things and that the carriages were self-pulling. Su and Lee could see them too though, she was sure, the Ravenclaw had looked at them curiously while her housemate had petted one's flank. Weird, maybe it was a demigod thing. She talked to the freaky horses and learned from them that they were created based off an idea between Poseidon and Hades.

Rhode thought they must've been drunk when they came up with that.

The feast was good and fattening like last year. During the course of it, they were introduced to their new DADA professor, George Lopez, or whatever his name was. Rhode's ADHD mind honestly didn't care. Anyway, he was some blond haired pretty girl-guy with a smile so bright, Rhode questioned if he was a legacy of Apollo or something.

After that, it was off to bed and the first day of classes were upon them.

* * *

Transfiguration was the most memorable class on that first day. McGonagall's classes were always hard work, but this one was a tough one. Rhode had made sure to practice her magic over the summer, both her and Su made sure to brush up on that as they did their summer homework together while at camp. But even with all that practice, the class was still tough. She had to turn a beetle into a button. Letting her creative side flow, she made half a dozen perfect dress buttons that were green, but went a step further and made a little wave pattern in them. Huh, maybe she could give them to her dad for Father's Day or something? Still, out of everyone, Granger made the most buttons, but Rhode considered them to be plain and uncreative. Like the girl herself.

"What do we have this afternoon?" Rhode asked Ron as they headed towards lunch.

"DADA." Ron grunted, looking annoyed.

"Who's teaching that again?" Rhode furrowed her brow, she couldn't remember.

Ron gave her a bewildered look, "Lockhart."

"Oh," Rhode nodded, "Right, that guy." She had no idea who that was.

After lunch the two friends went outside into the courtyard, talking about their summers for several minutes as they relaxed before DADA when Rhode's senses alerted her that she was being closely watched. Looking up, she saw a very small, mousy-haired boy staring at Rhode intently. He was clutching what looked like an old style camera. A classic she noted. The moment Rhode looked at him, he went bright red. Weird.

"Alright, Rhode? I'm - I'm Colin Creevey," he said breathlessly, taking a tentative step forward. "I'm in Gryffindor, too. D'you think - would it be alright if - can I have a picture?" he said, raising the camera hopefully.

"…By Olympus I have a paparazzi." Rhode's jaw opened a bit. "But why a picture of me?" she asked after getting over the fact. It honestly made no sense to the daughter of Poseidon.

"So I can prove I've met you," said Colin Creevey eagerly, edging further forward. "I know all about you. Everyone's told me. About how you survived when You-Know-Who tried to kill you and how he disappeared and everything and how you've still got a lightning bolt shaped scar on your forehead-" At this, his eyes raked Rhode's hairline for a moment even as he continued, "-and a boy-"

Rhode's hand clamped over his mouth since he was chattering so fast. But his muffled voice kept talking, annoying Rhode. She let go for a moment, letting Colin continue.

"-maybe your friend could take it and I could stand next to you? And then, could you sign it?"

"Signed photos? You're giving out signed photos, Evans?"

Pitchy and annoying, Draco Malfoy's voice echoed around the courtyard. He had stopped right behind Colin, flanked by his large meat shields, Crabbe and Goyle.

"Everyone line up!" Malfoy roared to the crowd. "Rhode Evans' giving out signed photos!"

"No! I am not!" Rhode shouted back, getting up and glaring at the blond twit, a hand on her hip, "Why don't you and your pets scat before I give them the same treatment as last year. I feel my annoyance building and I could use some punching bags." She said, her right fist punching her left palm eagerly.

Crabbe and Goyle took a step back with fearful eyes. Despite getting bigger, Rhode still scared them.

That was good.

"You're just jealous," Colin, whose entire body was about as thick as Crabbe's neck, piped up.

Rhode gave a groan, little kids should not be talking right now. It got in the way of the banter.

"Jealous?" said Malfoy, who didn't need to shout anymore: half the courtyard was listening in. "Of what? I don't want a foul scar right across my head, thanks. I don't think getting your head cut open makes you that special, myself."

Crabbe and Goyle were sniggering stupidly.

"Eat slugs, Malfoy," said Ron angrily. Crabbe stopped laughing and started rubbing his knuckles in a menacing way. Rhode cracked her knuckles right back, getting a whimper from the fatty.

Rhode walked right into Malfoy's face, "Come on, loser. You bark so loud, but you don't have any bite. You know that, I know that, everyone here knows that…even daddy knows that." She mocked him.

Malfoy went a blooming red at that, "Well at least I have a father unlike you, Little Miss Orphan!"

That got some gasps from the crowd, but Rhode hardly even bat an eyelash.

"That's all you got?" Rhode chuckled, "Wow, spoiled little trust-fund babies like you really are sheltered." She gave a shrug, "Go back to sucking mommy's milk. Then, after a few years, try again."

Snickers broke out in the courtyard as Malfoy's face became a deeper red from the humiliation. He was about to, poorly mind you, counter when a voice broke out.

"What's all this, what's all this?" some blond dude with gleaming teeth was striding toward them, his turquoise robes swirling behind him. "Who's giving out signed photos?"

Seriously, who was this guy again?

"Rhode Potter." He beamed at her, making the daughter of the sea raise an eyebrow at him.

"Who are you?" she asked, getting weird looks all around.

The man balked at that, but quickly laughed to cover his embarrassment.

"Oh, Rhode, Rhode, Rhode," why was he repeating her name? "Such a kidder." He laughed merrily and came closer, attempting to throw his arm around her.

Bad move.

Rhode's hand shot out and grabbed his wrist, twisting it painfully, getting a yelp from the man as his knees bent and his arm was shifted behind his back as Rhode held him in an arm lock. It was saying something, when a twelve year old was manhandling a grown man. But then again, Rhode was a demigod, they tended be stronger than your average mortal.

"Q-Quite the grip you have." The man chuckled painfully and looked at the gaping crowd, "You see, this is a little something I've taught our young Pott-ow! Oh sweet Merlin!" the man exclaimed when Rhode shifted his arm upward with annoyance on her face.

Colin took a picture of the scene, but Rhode was too engrossed with informing this guy of some facts to care.

"First off, you didn't teach me jack, mister…uh, whatever your name is." She said, glaring at him, "Next, my name is Evans. Learn it, got it?"

"Yes, yes of course!" he said with clear tears in his eyes.

"Good." Rhode nodded, "And finally, no one touches me…ever. Clear?"

"As a bell." The man squeaked out as Rhode put more pressure on his twisted arm when he failed to answer her in time.

"Cool." Rhode nodded and let him go, pushing him forward, as the bell rang behind them, signaling the start of afternoon classes, "I've got class, come on Ron." The daughter of the sea said to the ginger.

"Off you go, move along," the weird guy called to the crowd, rubbing his arm painfully even as she set off back to the castle after Rhode. He tried to talk to her, but Rhode just outright ignored him as they made it to the DADA classroom. Rhode dropped her stuff in the back as she took a seat near the door.

Ron sat next to her and he, along with everyone else, was just staring at her. Well, the girls were glaring at her for some reason. Seriously, what was their deal?

"You mind?" She snapped at them, giving them one of her patented death glares, making the class snap forward, many of them after flinching.

"I can't believe you did that." Ron said to her.

Rhode shrugged, "I don't like strangers touching me."

"That Colin kid got a picture of you, you know." The ginger informed her, making Rhode frown.

"Damn, I need to get that then. Like Hades a picture of me is floating around."

"Talk to him back at the dorm later." Ron suggested.

Rhode nodded to that, "Yeah."

When the whole class was seated, that weird guy cleared his throat loudly and silence fell. He reached forward, picked up Neville Longbottom's copy of Travels with Trolls, and held it up to show his own, winking portrait on the front.

"Me," he said, pointing at it and winking as well. "Gilderoy Lockhart, Order of Merlin, Third Class, Honorary Member of the Dark Force Defense League, and five-time winner of Witch Weekly's Most Charming Smile Award but I don't talk about that. I didn't get rid of the Bandon Banshee by smiling at her!"

He waited for them to laugh; a few people smiled weakly.

To Rhode, it just sounded like one of the adults from Charlie Brown.

Seriously, who was he?

"I see you've all bought a complete set of my books - well done. I thought we'd start today with a little quiz. Nothing to worry about - just to check how well you've read them, how much you've taken in-"

When he had handed out the test papers out to everyone he returned to the front of the class and said, "You have thirty minutes - start - now!"

Rhode looked down at her paper and, with squinted eyes, read:

1\. What is Gilderoy Lockhart s favorite color?

_Blue._

2\. What is Gilderoy Lockhart's secret ambition?

_To wear ribbons in his hair when no one is looking._

3\. What, in your opinion, is Gilderoy Lockhart's greatest achievement to date?

_Who?_

On and on it went, over three sides of paper, right down to:

54\. When is Gilderoy Lockhart's birthday, and what would his ideal gift be?

_A gun to shoot himself with._

Half an hour later, the blond guy collected the papers and rifled through them in front of the class.

Rhode had to, inwardly, admit, that was pretty fun.

"Tut, tut - hardly any of you remembered that my favorite color is lilac. I say so in Year with the Yeti. And a few of you need to read Wanderings with Werewolves more carefully - I clearly state in chapter twelve that my ideal birthday gift would be harmony between all magic and non-magic peoples - though I wouldn't say no to a large bottle of Ogdens Old Firewhisky!"

He gave them another roguish wink. Ron was now staring at the man with an expression of disbelief on his face; Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas, who were sitting in front, were shaking with silent laughter. Granger, on the other hand, was listening to the blond twit with rapt attention and gave a start when he mentioned her name.

"... but Miss Hermione Granger knew my secret ambition is to rid the world of evil and market my own range of hair-care potions - good girl! In fact" - he flipped her paper over - "full marks! Where is Miss Hermione Granger?"

Granger raised a trembling hand.

"Excellent!" beamed the teeth bleach using professor. "Quite excellent! Take ten points for Gryffindor! And so - to business-"

He bent down behind his desk and lifted a large, covered cage onto it.

"Now - be warned! It is my job to arm you against the foulest creatures known to wizard-kind! You may find yourselves facing your worst fears in this room. Know only that no harm can befall you whilst I am here. All I ask is that you remain calm."

In spite of herself, Rhode sat up for a better look at the cage. The guy placed a hand on the cover. Dean and Seamus had stopped laughing now. Neville was cowering in his front row seat.

"I must ask you not to scream," said the guy in a low voice. "It might provoke them."

As the whole class held its breath, Rhode just giving a solid blink, the guy whipped off the cover.

"Yes," he said dramatically. "Freshly caught Cornish pixies."

Seamus Finnigan couldn't control himself. He let out a snort of laughter that even that guy couldn't mistake for a scream of terror.

"Yes?" He smiled at Seamus.

"Well, they're not - they're not very - dangerous, are they?" Seamus choked.

"Don't be so sure!" said the man, waggling a patronising finger at Seamus. "Devilish tricky little blighters they can be!"

The pixies were electric blue and about eight inches high, with pointed faces and voices so shrill it was like chalk on a blackboard. The moment the cover had been removed, they had started jabbering and rocketing around, rattling the bars and making bizarre faces at the people nearest them.

"Grover's more intimidating than those things." Rhode said under her breath.

"Right, then," the guy said loudly. "Let's see what you make of them!" And he opened the cage.

It was pandemonium. The pixies shot in every direction like rockets. Two of them seized Neville by the ears and lifted him into the air. Several shot straight through the window, showering the back row with broken glass. The rest proceeded to wreck the classroom more effectively than a rampaging rhino. They grabbed ink bottles and sprayed the class with them, shredded books and papers, tore pictures from the walls, up-ended the waste basket, grabbed bags and books and threw them out of the smashed window; within minutes, half the class was sheltering under desks and Neville was swinging from the iron chandelier in the ceiling.

Seeing the pixie rampage, Rhode's demigod instincts kicked in.

Monsters plus demigod equals fight.

Rhode did need a morning workout, so…

Leaping up onto her table, she hopped from desk to desk to the front of the class, snagging the Voyages with Vampires Granger was using to duck for cover, and, with sheer skill, Rhode used the educational instrument for its true purpose.

Smacking the hell out of things.

The cowering magicals watched as Rhode danced atop the desks, swinging the book like it was a lethal weapon, smacking the pixies left and right. They crashed to the ground, some twitching, others unmoving.

Rhode ducked as the pixies started to go for coordinated attacks in groups, but Rhode just punched one right in the head, sending it out the window with a crash. Spinning, she flipped the book and gripped it with two hands, swinging and smacking three at once, sending them soaring into the blackboard, some blood splattering on it as they slid down.

One tried to attack her from behind, but she just punched it with the back of her fist, making it fall to the ground with a thud.

She grabbed the last one, which was trying to flee, by the legs and squeezed tightly, audibly breaking its legs and tossed it to the ground without a care.

In the ensuing quiet, Rhode found everyone staring at her with gaping looks. This lasted until the room's chandelier gave way and Neville fell from it with a thud, but he was just looking at her like everyone else.

Blinking, Rhode cleared her throat and said, "Well, that's how to use a book properly people. So, uh, school's out?" she asked, as the bell rang.

Huh, good timing.

"Yes, well," the man cleared his throat, "Excellent form from Miss Evans here, just as I said in my book, Year-" he gulped when Rhode glared at him, pointing at the tattered, blood stained book with a broken spine and back at him. The threat was clear to everyone.

"You, shut up." The daughter of the sea ordered, his voice was annoying her. "Clean up your mess too." She said, hopping off the desk, chucking the book back to Granger, who was in tears at the condition of it.

"I am so out of here." Rhode complained and grabbed her backpack.

Ugh, she was definitely not coming back to this class.

The silence lasted for a moment more until everyone, realizing through their shock that the bell had already rung, started to quickly shuffle out of the class, leaving the man to look at the mess around him.

"Maybe I should have gone with fairies?" he asked himself, and picked up one of his books, weighing it, "Hm, book-weapon…I can work on this." He mused to himself.

* * *

_September 2, 2002_

_Dear Diary, no, Journal (less sissy sounding),_

_Argh! Do I have to do this? It seems so silly. But Chiron insisted, says it'll help me to manage my emotions better if I write them out. So here I am, writing in this silly little book. Gods, I hope no one finds out that I do this, it'll totally wreck my reputation! At least it's a nice green color. So you have one thing going for you, dai-journal._

_Anyways, enough complaining. So here's what's been going on for me recently: Everyone in school seems to be giving me some space. For some reason, my pixie slaying is the top bit of gossip floating around the school right now, and from what I've heard it somehow involves a warning to run if I was ever seen holding a book threateningly. I knew a book would come in handy in combat someday. Just didn't know when._

_Annabeth would probably faint at my actions. That was fine with me. But still, it was fun. Bethy could be silly about lots of things sometimes, so this was just one more instance of it._

_I got a picture taken against my permission earlier today by some mousy kid. It was a little bit of a hassle to get the damn thing from the kid. By the time I found him, he already got it wizardized and I had to say that the final product of doing so was pretty funny. My photo copy was strangling this weird smiling dude like Homer Simpson would Bart Simpson._

_I decided to keep it._

_Peace for now, Rhode._

* * *

It was the middle of September and currently the demigods were in the Room of Requirement, searching for the diadem that Voldemort made into a Horcrux.

"You sure that's what your phone says?" Lee asked as he sifted through some of the mountains of junk that filled the room that supposedly housed the diadem. He picked up an old Cavalry sword, fiddling with it.

"Yeah," Rhode said, looking at her BlackBerry, "It should be right ahead of us." She continued as her phone started to vibrate more and more, "Okay, we should be right on top of this thing."

"...I found it." Su breathed out, awe in her tone.

"Where?" Rhode said, turning around and pushing a old bike out of her way to get to Su.

Su just pointed forward. Rhode followed the finger and saw a gold pedestal with a purple velvet pillow resting atop upon which was a opened polished wood case. Resting within the case was a gold diadem. It had a blue sapphire embedded on the front with a hanging jewel just below it.

"Ravenclaw's lost diadem." Su breathed out with a shaky breath.

"Wha-?" Rhode frowned, clueless on all things related to magical history.

Su pouted at her, "Back in the founders time, Ravenclaw made this diadem. It's supposed to enhance the wearer's wisdom. It's a lost treasure, finding it-! Rhode, you have no idea what this means!" Her gaze returned to the diadem, eyes burning with curiosity, "Please tell me it's not what I think it is?" she pleaded.

Rhode held up her phone as it pinged, the list matched up. It was their target. "Sorry, Su." She told her.

The daughter of Demeter's shoulders slumped, her tiny fists balling, "How could he do this?" she asked in a whisper.

"Dude's a freak." Lee simply said, walking up to them, his bag that he brought along filled to the brim with stuff. He looked at the diadem, just imagining what they could sell it for, but it wasn't meant to be.

Lee stepped forward then and ran through a few spells, before giving the girls a thumbs up. "Voldie hasn't left any wards behind. Typical mortal, so full of it." He shook his head. Having been given the all clear, Rhode closed the distance with the ancient artifact, drawing her dagger. Su covered her eyes and looked away. The daughter of Poseidon brought the weapon down, getting a massive crack in the diadem as a screeching wail came from the now former Horcrux.

"And that's three down," Rhode grinned, "Just three to go."

"You said there was another here?" Lee asked, getting a nod from the daughter of the sea.

Rhode looked at her phone, hitting a few buttons, "Yeah, it's some kind of diary. The phone's pinged around for it, but it's like the signal keeps jumping." She frowned. Some kind of bug? Well it was in the castle at least, that was something, right?

The son of Hermes rested his arms behind his head, "Meh, it's our victory for now. We can get it later. I mean, it's a book, what's it going to do?" he snorted.

"Yeah," Rhode snickered, it's not like a book could be threatening…unless it was used as a blunt instrument.

"All that history, gone." Su frowned, walking up to Rhode's side, giving a sad look to the damaged treasure.

"You know, you could bring it back." Lee suggested, "I mean, sure, Rhode might've broke the magic, but they can always piece it together again and hang it in Ravenclaw tower. It's still important."

"Su, do it." Rhode nodded in support, "I'm sure it would make your house's day if you brought it back."

Su looked between the two Gryffindor, "B-But we all found it!" she said.

Rhode shrugged, "It was just part of a quest to me. I mean, it's far more important to you. So you bringing it in is better."

"Good plan." Lee grinned.

Su stared at the cracked diadem, contemplating the idea. After a moment, she reached for the box, closing it and tucked it snuggly in her arms, "Yes." She nodded sternly, a strong look in her eyes.

Rhode patted her shoulder, "There you go." She said, glad Su wasn't going to mope over some jewelry.

"Okay," Lee cleared his throat, "If we're doing this, we need to do this right. So we need a backstory, let's go with this." He said and started to give a good story for Su to use.

In the next hours, the entire school was in an uproar.

Su Li, a second year Ravenclaw, had found the lost Diadem of Ravenclaw.

Of course it was cracked, but it was still found! Flitwick was in tears, praising Su to high heaven. Dumbledore awarded Su a whopping one and fifty hundred points. She was even going to get a plaque that would be put in the trophy room for all honor students.

When asked how she found it, Su went with Lee's backstory: She was walking to class via one of the staircases when it unexpectedly shifted, leading her to a corridor with a door at its end she hadn't known existed. Curious about where the door might lead, she went in and got lost in a room filled with objects, one of which was the diadem. Recovering it she then wandered around for a few hours,until she found an exit and ended up on the first floor.

There was a big celebration, with a feast and Ravenclaw banners hanging around the Great Hall.

Su was an instant celebrity, but was so shy about it that Rhode had to sit next to her during the feast so people didn't bother her too much. Those that tried were driven off with a good glare.

It was at this feast that Su introduced a first year she had befriended. Her name was Luna Lovegood.

Just for a second, Rhode had almost mistaken her for Annabeth. They were both young girls with wavy blonde hair and grey eyes after all. But after a second glance, it was easy to tell that Luna's blonde hair was far paler, her skin lacked the tan that Annabeth's had developed over the summer, and her eyes were a lighter shade of grey then Rhode's favorite daughter of wisdom and much wider.

She started talking about Nargles, but Rhode had no idea what they were.

Cute kid though. Hopefully, she didn't talk about stuff like that all the time, otherwise Rhode would be avoiding her from now on. It was sort of annoying.

* * *

_October 31, 2002_

_Sup journal,_

_Well, October was a pain! All it brought was a damp chill that got everywhere! The grounds? The castle? You name it! Raindrops the size of bullets thundered on the castle windows for days on end; the lake rose and the flower beds turned into muddy streams._

_Zeus was probably in a mood. Again._

_Madam Pomfrey, the nurse, was kept busy by a sudden spike of colds among the staff and students. Her Pepperup potion worked instantly, though it left the drinker smoking at the ears for several hours afterward. Thank the gods for my demigod constitution, it would have sucked to suffer like that. Imagine my rep, if I smoked from the ears for the whole day! Everyone would laugh at me!_

_All throughout the month, I've been actively trying to find this diary I'm supposed to stab, but it just keeps disappearing on me! Like it had a mind of its own or something. Which just sounds absurd. It's pissing me off!_

_Thankfully I got a great distraction when it became time for Halloween and its feast. It was decent enough, but I had to stop myself from overeating like so many of the other kids did. Have to stay fit and all._

_After the feast was called to an end, we all gathered up and headed back to their dorms, down corridors and up the stairs. One minute the castle was filled with the noise of hundreds of feet climbing the stairs, and the loud, happy talk of well-fed people; next moment, students were crashing into the passage from both ends._

_The chatter, the bustle, the noise died suddenly as the people in front spotted the cat or what was left of it. Which wasn't much. At All! All that was left was a puddle of remains, melted bones, and clumps of fur. Claw marks in the oddly dampened stone flooring and a collar, a leather collar all too familiar to any Hogwarts student. It was the collar of Mrs. Norris. Honestly! It wasn't even that bad! But I guess these mortals don't have the stomach for this kinda thing. Sure there was this creepy message painted on the wall over the scene about some Chamber of Secrets being opened and enemies of some heir needing to be careful. But was that supposed to be scary?_

_The whole thing just got even more ridiculous though when Malfoy shouted through the quiet that 'Mudbloods' were next. Seriously, even the insults the magicals use are stupid. I mean, 'Mudbloods'? Really? They can't even get an insult right around here._

_I admit, the whole thing got me excited. Finally, something was happening! It was getting boring as Hades around here. At the same time though, I couldn't help but feel guilty about feeling excited when some people could really get hurt._

_Anyways, no doubt clued in by Malfoy's shout, Filch just then came shouldering his way through the crowd. Only to see the puddle that was formerly named Mrs. Norris and fell back, clutching his face in horror. He went crazy then, raving and threatening to kill Malfoy! It was a great after meal show. Too bad Dumbles arrived and smoothed things over before anything good happened. The old goat is such a spoilsport!_

_Seriously though, whatever killed that dumb cat could be really dangerous. So me, Su and Lee are meeting up at the Room of Requirement tomorrow morning to talk about what we plan to do about it._

_Phew! That was sure a lot of writing. Huh, maybe Chiron was right about this diary thing. No, no! Journal! It sure is relaxing. I'm nowhere as psyched up about whatever this cat-killer is then I would be without this Journal. At least I think so._

_Anyway, peace out paperback, Rhode._

* * *

It was a Friday and the demigods decided to meet on their off periods. Or in Rhode's case, she skipped Potions.

Rhode and the demigods were sitting around a table in the Room of Requirement, in the middle of a war council. With cheese, crackers, and pretzels on the table.

"So, guesses on what the hell was that last night?" Lee asked, elbow on the table, chin in his palm.

"No idea." Su shook her head, her ponytail bouncing around.

Rhode, eyes closed and arms crossed, was pondering with her Sherlock face on. Opening her vivid green eyes, she said, "It was melted right? Poison?" she suggested.

"Or magic." Lee pointed out.

"Who could know such vile magic?" Su paled at the thought.

"The snakes, who else?" Lee raised a brow, "I'm sure mommy or daddy taught some of the older ones a nasty spell or two."

"My gut says no." Rhode shook her head, "Usually all the students come to the feast, were there any missing?" she asked, since Lee knew _everybody_ in the school.

Lee thought for a moment and begrudgingly shook his head.

"Though so," Rhode chewed her bottom lip in thought, "It's a monster then, it has to be."

"But what kind?" Su pondered, her fingers thumping over the table, "A lot of monsters are poisonous."

"A snake." Lee stated, "I mean, the whole Chamber of Secrets is Slytherin's, right?" he asked, taking some cheese and putting it on a cracker, "So, it has to be a snake." He popped the snack into his mouth, chewing it.

"But what kind can do that?" Rhode asked. After a moment more of being stumped, she fished into her jeans pocket, pulling out a golden drachma, "Time to I.M." she said. On the table, a crystal appeared, a light glowing in it that summoned a large rainbow in front of the demigods.

"Oh Iris, Goddess of the rainbow, please accept my offering."

Rhode threw the drachma into the rainbow, making the light shimmer and take the godly money.

"Show me Chiron at Camp Half-Blood."

The image shimmered once more and soon the demigods saw Chiron, a bow in hand as he was taking a shot at the archery range.

"Chiron!" Rhode shouted, making the centaur jump and turn around, arrow pointed at them.

At seeing who it was, the trainer lowered his bow, "Honestly, Rhode, there is no need to shout."

Rhode just shrugged, a smirk on her lips.

Chiron shook his head, "Su, Lee, greetings." He nodded to each of them. Lee and Su returned the greeting as Chiron regarded Rhode, "So, what brings you to I.M. me, Rhode?"

"We have a problem." The daughter of Poseidon frowned.

They explained the situation to the centaur, getting a frown from Chiron. He was rubbing his beard in thought.

"A snake that has poison potent enough to literally melt its victims?"

Rhode nodded.

"Hm...The best monster that fits that description would be a basilisk." Chiron said, giving his best educated guess.

"How big are basilisks?" Rhode inquired.

"As long as a grown man's arm, give or take a few inches." Chiron stated with an affirming tone.

"Great, how are we going to track something so small?" Lee frowned, brow knitted in thought.

Su raised her hand, like the good student she was, making Chiron chuckle, "Yes, Su?"

"Basilisks are vulnerable to a rooster's cry, correct?" she inquired.

Chiron's eyes twinkled, "Indeed they are. Well done, Su."

Su beamed at the praise.

"So…we carry a rooster with us around the whole school?" Rhode asked dryly.

Su flustered, ducking her head as Chiron chuckled.

"Yes, that would be peculiar, but still, utilize all your enemies' weaknesses." The centaur informed as someone in the distance called his name. He turned around, "Just a moment, Ethan!" he turned back to the demigods at Hogwarts, "I have a situation to deal with. Be sure to keep me informed children. Watch each other's backs and keep yourselves safe." He said, getting nods all around. With that, Chiron said his goodbyes and wiped his hand through the image, ending the I.M.

"So, now what?" Lee asked the girls, stumped on what to do right now.

Su looked to Rhode, it seems she was the designated leader here at Hogwarts for demigods.

"Um," Rhode started off intelligently, before taking a quick breath, "We'll look for strange occurrences. Never be alone, buddy up if you roam the halls and be sure to contact everyone if you see something, no solo acts." She instructed.

Her fellow demigods nodded and they decided to go train for the rest of the day. After the conversation about the threat they faced, they wanted to be ready for when their skills would be needed.

* * *

_November 14, 2002._

_Hey bookie buddy of mine,_

_November is flying by! We've tried searching for the monster, but there was no luck. In the meantime, I've been spending my remaining free time looking for that damn book that just kept popping away whenever I get close!_

_We did notice one thing though. Lately, people kept getting sick. Not the flu or anything, like legit illness. People were wobbling through the halls, others striking up a fever, some puking their brains out. The hospital wing is filling up fast and Madam Pomfrey is working triple shifts, trying to figure out what was wrong._

_Right now, it was at the tail end of November. DADA is as stupid as ever! What's-his-name is useless. At least, that's based on what I heard from Su. I hadn't gone back to the class after that first class. Thank Olympus, Lee was willing to teach me some useful stuff during our training sessions._

_Got to go, journal. Detention awaits. Ugh!_

* * *

Rhode and Su were walking through the halls catching up in late November, a week before December, when Rhode decided she needed to go to the washroom. "So DADA is as dumb as ever! Great!" Rhode groaned. Setting her bag down, she went to wash her face of some sweat that had built up from some training she'd done earlier. As she washed up, Rhode paused.

"Rhode?" Su questioned as her fellow demigoddess froze.

Rhode licked her dampened lips, then her watery fingers. "Oh no…" her skin ashen. She grabbed her water flask and dumped it. She soon filled it with the sink water, "Emergency meeting," Rode told Su, her tone dead serious, "Get Lee, I'll meet you there." She said, running out of the bathroom before Su could even ask what was going on.

"Oh," Su pouted and grabbed her bag, rushing out to find Lee, "I hate it when she does this." She bemoaned.

* * *

Rhode paced in front of the glass of water before her restlessly in the Room of Requirement.

Lee and Su soon entered.

"I have bad news." Rhode told them point blank.

"…Is there good news?" Lee asked with a raised brow as they walked to the table, "Because I'd rather hear it first."

"No." Rhode frowned.

"O-kay." Lee nodded as he sat down, Su taking a seat as well.

Rhode pointed at the cup before them, "The water, it's contaminated."

Silence filled the room for all of two seconds before Lee said, "That's bull!" he cried out, "Hogwarts has water purification charms on all its plumbing!" He knew, he tried to put laxatives in the water once.

"Well it certainly isn't working properly." the scion of the sea stated knowingly. "Just by looking at it, I can see the impurities in it. It's like how Su can tell what's wrong with a plant on sight or contact." Su nodded to this, "So trust me when I say, this is poisoned. It's like that one time I stopped Thalia from drinking from a stream that was contaminated with lead." She commented and pressed on, missing the stunned looks on Lee and Su's faces.

Rhode hardly ever brought up the unfortunate daughter of Zeus. It was usually a very sensitive topic.

"What did Chiron say? A basilisk has highly potent poison. A poison so strong it melted a cat! I doubt magic could purify all of a poison like that." Rhode stated.

"But," Su frowned, "Why would it be in the pipes unless-!" she gasped, covering her mouth, "It's traveling around through the plumbing."

Rhode gave an affirming nod, frowning deeply, "Exactly."

Lee slumped into his chair, "Damn," he frowned, some of his mortal friends had gotten very sick. If this was true- "What do we do? I mean, if this is slithering through the pipes, it could be anywhere."

"…Or in its chamber." Su's small voice piped up.

Lee rubbed his face, "This chamber has never been found in, like, forever, and you are saying…all we have to do is find it ourselves?" he asked with an incredulous tone.

"Pretty much." Rhode nodded.

"…This school was so less dangerous before you came here." Lee pointed out dryly to Rhode.

The daughter of the sea shrugged. She was a trouble magnet, it wasn't like it was her fault.

Lee massaged his temples, "You want me to find a pipe big enough for us to go down, don't you?"

Rhode nodded, getting the boy to sigh.

"Fine, give me an hour. In the meantime, get your reptile repellent girls." He said, pushing out of his seat, "We've got a snake to kill."

"Oh yeah," Rhode grinned, "Let's lock and load people!" she said, holding her hand out, grinning at the others. Su giggled and put her hand on top of Rhode's and the girls look at Lee intently.

"Oh fine," the boy rolled his eyes, but still smiled and put his hand on top.

"Camp Half-Blood!" they cheered and threw their hands in the air.

* * *

The demigods were in clothing similar to their escapade from last year. Dark muggles clothes that gave them plenty of freedom for combat.

Adjusting Thalia's jacket, Rhode looked down the massive pipe that Lee led them to.

"How did you find this?"

"The twins have a map for all of Hogwarts." Lee told him, "I stole it once and memorized it. Had to give it back before they knew it was gone though." He frowned, he didn't like stealing from his best buddies, but it was needed, just in case.

"Let's get going." Rhode said, taking out her wand, "Lumos." She said, using the wand lighting charm.

They started their journey through the magical plumbing of Hogwarts and not even five minutes later, Su make a startled noise.

"I think I stepped in something." The daughter of Demeter frowned.

Rhode rolled her eyes, "And this is why I told you combat boots all the way for stuff like this."

Su just pouted at her and shook her gunk covered foot. "This is why I hate dark damp underground places." Stupid monster could never be in a nice sunny field or a flowery meadow. Oh, no, just a clichéd spooky place.

They continued walking for what felt like hours as they went down tunnels and popped up into other places at the school and had to go back down, marking their way as they traveled to avoid getting lost.

Rhode felt uncomfortable in the tunnel, but just bared with it since it was necessary. It was still annoying though.

Lee, the (self-proclaimed) morale booster, was telling jokes to keep the mood light.

"And I said, that's not my ferret!" Lee laughed, getting a giggle from Su as Rhode had an amused smile on her face as she continued to lead the way.

"How long have we been down here?" Su asked.

Rhode paused in her steps, taking out her phone. Checking the time, she said, "Almost five hours."

"Maybe call it a day or at least take a break?" Lee suggested, not wanting them to be worn out.

Rhode shook her head, "No, we're close. We have to be." She said with confidence. She turned forward once more and continued walking.

"Stamina monster." Lee muttered under his breath. He was used to walking, son of the traveling god after all, but even his legs needed a break.

Su, who was near him, nodded in minor agreement. Out of all of them, Rhode was usually the last one standing after a day of intense training.

Rhode didn't hear them as she stopped, making her friends collide into her back, getting the daughter of the sea to stumble forward a bit. She caught herself before she fell through the opening in front of her and after righting herself just pointed straight ahead. There, at the end of the pipeline, was a dim greenish glow, "I think we're here."

"I see that." Lee said dryly as they advanced. Trying his best not to make a 'Light at the end of the tunnel' joke.

They reached the end of the pipe and they saw that they were at least forty feet above the floor of the room beyond. Looking down, they were standing near the end of a long, dimly lit chamber. Towering stone pillars entwined with serpents, rose to a ceiling lost in darkness, casting long, black shadows through the odd, greenish gloom that filled the place. The demigods had to squint a few times, to adjust their eyes to the chamber. But, they could see a statue as tall as the Chamber itself, standing against the back wall. It was ancient, like a statue of one of their parents, but far less beautiful and just plain gaudy. It had a long, thin beard that fell almost to the bottom of the wizard's sweeping stone robes, where two enormous grey feet stood on the smooth Chamber floor.

"So, this is the Chamber of Secrets? Not seeing anything other than cheap lighting here and some dumb mortal's ego, so not much of a secret." Rhode commented, clearly unimpressed.

"Nah, he's got to have some loot around here somewhere." The son of Hermes stated, a gleam in his eyes.

"Down boy," Rhode scolded and turned to Su, "Can you give us a line?" she asked.

Su nodded and held out her hand and a long, rope-like vine coiled forth, falling down from the height and pooling on the floor. That was one of the things that Su's cabin could do, just make plants appear out of nowhere, even solid stone.

Rhode, holstering her wand, grabbed the vine and gave it a sharp tug, testing that it was secure. "I'll go first." She simply said and jumped out of the pipe, rappelling down and soon she was planting her feet on the damp floor.

Looking up, Rhode gave a soft whistle that echoed a bit. Soon, Su came down, and then Lee followed.

Rhode tapped her bracelet, bringing out her shield, the celestial bronze giving off a low light, "Okay, if I was a little snake…where would I hide here?" Rhode pondered, glancing around the huge chamber.

"This is going to take forever." Lee frowned, fiddling with one of his throwing knives that acted like a glow stick.

Su also changed her fan into her short sword, "Maybe it's at the statue in the back?" she thought out loud, "I mean, if Slytherin is as clichéd as we believe, it would be there. Possibly sleeping."

"True." Rhode snorted, a wizard would so do that.

They crept along the long chamber and advanced towards the statue…but there was something wrong.

There was a large opening in its mouth, like a gaping black hole.

"Guys, where's the snake?" Lee asked cautiously.

A soft thudding was his answer, along with a flickering noise.

The demigods turned around sharply, weapons at the ready.

And then, they looked up, craning their necks back.

"…Correct me, if I'm wrong," Lee cleared his throat, "But didn't Chiron say 'as big as a grown man's arm'?"

Su, gulping, answered, "No, he said that."

"Oh, good," Lee nodded, "Well, can someone tell me why it isn't?!" he snapped.

Rhode stayed quiet, taking in the vast form of their opposition.

It was big and long, easily two-three hundred feet in length, most likely more. The basilisk's scales were a dark green that just screamed 'sinister' in the gloomy green light of the chamber. Its eyes were a sickly yellow, with black slits in the middle while a red tongue flicked out of its snaky lips. It opened its mouth, showing rows of sharp teeth the size of swords.

"Psst, Li," Lee said to Su, "Talk to it." He ushered her.

"What?" Su hissed back at him.

"Your mom's sacred animal is a serpent, right? Talk to it."

Su glared at him, "One, just because it's my mother's sacred animal, does not mean I can speak snake. Second, you are stereotyping me, again!" she snapped quietly.

"Enough chatter." Rhode ordered, going right into battle mode. She raised her shield slowly as the larger than normal basilisk observed them, no doubt wondering who to eat first. "Any ideas _why_ it's so big?"

Su nibbled her lip, throwing out a possible theory she thought of in the span of a few seconds. She was smart like that. "Perhaps it leeched off the ambient magic while it was sealed. I mean, the Chamber of Secrets goes back as far the Founders' time. With all that magic, it may have allowed it to grow to this size."

"Or Slytherin just overfed it." Lee shrugged, slowly pulling out more of his knives, tucking them between his fingers.

Rhode frowned, mulling on a plan of action as she slid slowly to the right, "Lee, take to the air. Su, go long range and support me. I'll keep its focus." She said, her left hand reaching inside her shield.

Su went wide eyed, "Rhode! One touch and you're dead!" she said with worry lacing her voice.

"I know." Rhode said and she pulled an object from her shield which expanded into her sword that Gaige had made her. While studying the shield, Gaige made it so that Rhode could store her spare weapons in it. To use her trident, she would need both her hands, but she needed her shield far more in this fight, it was time to put all that swordsmanship training to the test.

Rhode tensed as the giant snake coiled, "GO!" She shouted and jumped out of the way. Lee leaped into the air with a cry of 'Air Jordan' and went for altitude. Su had used a vine to wrap around her midsection and reel her back to a safe distance.

The basilisk's head slammed into the stone ground where the three had stood just moments before, breaking it.

Rhode got out of her roll and into a crouch as she raised her shield arm, the flying debris pelted the large shield. Rhode stood up as the snake pulled its head out of the ground, stone and rubble slipping off its scaly skin. Rhode clanged the flat of her sword against her shield, making a lot of noise.

"Hey, over here! Come on!" she shouted as the snake turned to her and struck again. Rhode rolled aside once more, but was ready this time. As soon as she got out of her crouch, she rushed forward and slashed the side of its face, digging deeply into its scales, causing a light spray of blood to splatter across the tiles.

The monster let out a shriek and dragged its head along the ground. Eyes widened, Rhode dropped her sword and held up her shield just as it was about to hit her, and jumped. She tucked her arms and legs, forcing her feet into the shield. The monster sent her flying, making her land painfully due to her poor positioning, but at least none of her body touched the snake.

Wincing a bit from her landing, Rhode looked for her sword but saw it had snapped under the snake's massive weight. It was now nothing more than a pile of scrap lying under the monster's massive bulk.

The scion of the sea was pissed, "I liked that one!" she shouted, getting the snake's attention. It went for her, but cried out as Lee flew by, tossing his knives at speeds equivalent to gunfire.

"Yeah, that's right! You're flying Air Jordan now!" The son of Hermes shouted as he dodged a lunge from the snake by turning upside down and running along the ceiling for a few seconds before pushing off with both feet. This put him into the perfect position to go for another pass which he did by flying low, and throwing another flurry of knives. Before he ascended into the air once more, trying to confuse the monster.

The basilisk hissed at the flying pest and flicked its long tail, dragging it across the ceiling, carving a trench into the rock and making stones, some the size of cars, fall.

Lee yelped and weaved through the rocks, running across long ones and hopping across smaller ones. He twisted around two rocks that nearly brained him and crossed his arms. In his closed fists, he had two new set of knives between his knuckles.

His feet landed on another falling rock and pushed off it, giving him more speed as he barrel rolled around the beast's head and threw his knives just as he passed the snake's left eye, blinding it.

At this grievous injury the snake let out a shrill cry and flapped its tail around, forcing Lee to dodge quickly. The tip of the monstrous tail dragged across the ceiling once more, bring down yet another hail of stone.

Lee weaved once more and cursed as his right shoe was hit, making him swerve in the air, before the injured wing gave out and he started to fall.

"Mayday! Aprilday! Marchday! Ah screw it, Anyday!" he shouted and fell to the ground in a spiral that culminated in a painful sounding thud. He went to move, but let out a cry of pain as a rock landed right on his leg, "Shit!" he snarled and looked at the large rock. He threw his back to the ground as he let out another cry of pain. Baring his teeth, Lee pushed back up and grasped the rock, trying to move it.

The monster looked interested in the pinned target and slithered forth. Something colliding with its body before it could make any significant headway however, prompted it to turn to see dying vines fall limply.

Su bit her lip. She tried to fire another surge of vines, but they just died on contact with the basilisk! Without any noticeable effect! To her it felt like an uphill battle…with lava coming down the hill. Her powers seemed to have no effect on the monster.

The monster looked at her with its uninjured sickly yellow eye for a moment, then turned away. Like she wasn't a threat to it.

H-How rude!

Mustering up her courage, Su turned her sword back into a fan and pocketed it. She lashed out both her arms and two sunflowers, twice the size of herself, was summoned on either side of her. They bent, the tops pointed at the snake headed towards Lee.

"Fire!" she ordered the sunflowers and they soon started to launch their seeds like machine gun bullets.

It was a little idea she cooked up and had been practicing in secret. She wanted to show her cabin during next summer. She was quite proud that she managed to think up something like this.

Sadly, the effect right now was not what she was hoping for.

Normally, the bullet seeds would hurt the target due to the sheer speed and the genetically modified density of the seeds. But the basilisk's poisonous skin acted like armor, making the organic attack evaporate on contact.

Su couldn't help but ball her fists in frustration. One of the most important fights of her life…and she was useless. This monster was her antithesis in every way and she could do nothing! She tried to rack her mind for an idea, some way to attack it, but sadly, her latest attack drew its attention onto her. It was what she wanted, but not in the good way.

The basilisk opened its mouth and a red and orange light seemed to swell up within its jaws before it upchucked a large gout of fire.

The daughter of Demeter panicked. Right, they could spit fire. Oh topsoil.

She tried to summon a wall of foliage, maybe intercept the incoming projectile, but it burned right through it before she could build up a more firm defense.

Shielding her face with her arms, Su screwed her eyes closed as fear made her release a choking sob.

She was then pushed out of the way, quite roughly, and tumbled along the ground. Looking up to see what had happened, she saw Rhode, going on her knee and raising her large shield over her upper body just as the fire blast hit her.

"Rhode!" Su screamed, tears streaming from her eyes. She felt numb…her friend…oh gods, Rhode…

Bits of fire clung to the ground as the smoke soon cleared. Su's sunken heart swelled with happiness as she saw Rhode, still in her crouched position.

Rhode let out a muffled cry of pain, biting her lip so hard it started to bleed. She patted off the flames on her jeans, they were now shorts, and kicked off her melted boots, rubble stabbing her sock clad feet.

Rhode thanked her dad big time for giving her heat resistance because without it and her shield, she would have been a crispy snack for the snake. Her body still felt the pain of the fire, but she pushed on.

Su dashed to her side, "Oh gods! Rhode, I, you, I thought-!" she sobbed, looking like she was both going to burst into tears and collapse in relief to high Olympus at any second that Rhode was okay.

Grunting, Rhode stood up and turned to Su, "You need to get Lee and get out of here." She told her, dismissing her shield and fishing out Spellbound, hitting the adjuster and grasping her trident tightly.

Su was confused by that statement, "But, that would mean-"

"I'll stall it while you get to safety, yeah." Rhode said causally, like it was no big deal, and was about to run interference but Su grabbed her arm in a vice grip.

"Are you insane?!" she snapped, actual anger on her face. Su never got angry.

Rhode gave her an intense icy look, "Su, your powers have no effect, Lee's leg is pinned down and I've got a weapon with reach to give us a halfway decent chance in this fight." She then snapped, "Now go!"

"No!"

A growl leapt into Rhode's throat, "I wasn't asking!" she stated and pulled her arm back and rushed back into the fight before Su could even continue the quick argument.

Su looked on in shock…Rhode was planning to sacrifice herself, for them.

Panicking, Su rushed to Lee, maybe he had a plan. It wasn't supposed to be like this. Darn it! Running as fast as she could, she slid to the ground near the son of Hermes. Lee was trying to get some rubble off his leg. With a spin of her wrist, vines coiled under the stone, lifting it off. Lee gave a relieved look.

"Thanks, Li." He said and tried to move, but released a sharp hiss after just gingerly trying to move his leg. "Well, this sucks," he tried to joke, flashing a smile despite the pain from his busted leg.

"Lee…Rhode, she wants us to get out of here." Su explained fast.

"What? And regroup?"

"No…she said she's staying."

"Dammit!" Lee panicked, "She can't do that, dammit all!" he tried to get up once more, going against the pain and just as he was about to tip over, Su caught him to support him, "I, we, we need to do something." The son of Hermes rushed out.

"What?" Su asked, face etched in worry, "My powers don't work, you're out of this fight."

"I, give me a second!" Lee snapped as he watched Rhode dodge an attack, swinging her trident in a scythe-like motion, getting a deep cut in the snake's nostrils. She stayed in the snake's single line of sight in order to keep its focus. Chewing his lip, his mind was going at super speed to think until a drip of water made him wince. He looked up and his chocolate brown eyes widened, "The pipes…" he whispered and looked around. Everywhere, the entire chamber was lined with pipes.

Su looked up and came to the same conclusion in an instant, "If she can do that-"

"She can." Lee said firmly, Luke had told him about some of Rhode's powers with water, if she could summon it then they still stood a chance, "Rhode!" he shouted, "The pipes! They're everywhere! Summon the water!" he hollered.

"Don't you think I'd have thought of that!" Rhode snapped back as she dodged left. "But if I do that, the damn place would flood and you'll drown! That's why I want you two to get the hell out of here!"

"Oh!" Su gasped out. Rhode wasn't sacrificing herself. Thank the gods! She was asking them to get to safety so she could bring her powers to bear better. "Lee, let's get out of here." Su said, as she helped the son of the traveler god to a firmer footing even as she looked around the chamber for somewhere they could be safe from what was coming. Spying the top of the statue of Slytherin's head, she gestured to it to Lee and then helped him limp towards it.

"Right," Lee replied as he did his best to limp as fast as he could, Rhode couldn't hold off the basilisk without her full powers forever. When the two reached the foot of the statue, he was about to turn to Su to ask 'What now?' when a massive plant took shape beneath them and gently lifted them up to safety, scrambling off the plant and onto the greater safety of solid rock, Lee gave the signal, "Rhode, go!"

**Play: Battle of Magic Competition OST**

Hearing that her friends were safe, Rhode tightened her grip on Spellbound and, while still fending off the monstrous snake, began focusing on the tugging feeling in her gut. It was difficult doing both, but she had to. Their lives depended on it!

The beast of Slytherin hissed in rage and lunged at its target, trying to capitalize on its noticeable distraction. But just as it was about to engulf its prey in its jaws, a large cactus appeared. It reeled back with a cry of pain as its mouth was filled with needles.

"I hope it was pleasantly delicious!" Su shouted, waving her small fist in the air most threateningly.

Before the snake could recover from its latest injury, Rhode released a war cry. Then it happened. The pipes creaked and groaned, shaking violently before erupting and allowing gallons upon gallons of water to gush into the chamber, which started to flood.

"That's got to be at least over a million gallons." Su awed as more and more kept coming.

"Big Three kids are broken." Lee complained with a deadpanned expression.

Su gave a slight nod at the magnificent display Rhode was putting on. Her mind then went to why she heard the Oath between the Big Three was made. Their children were just too powerful. Seeing that very fact demonstrated before her, Su could see why they had to make the Oath. Rhode, who was only twelve years old, was displaying such power…she could only wonder what Rhode could do once she was older.

The basilisk, despite its mouth filled with needles, roared and attacked the daughter of Poseidon.

Rhode let out a breath as the water pooling around her ankles healed her of her pain and empowered her like water always did. She looked at the coming snake and threw her arms into the air.

A wall of water collided with the snake, forcing it back in a stumble. It went to move in once more, but a tendril of water snapped at it, forcing it back.

Rhode whipped her trident around rapidly and she flung large tendrils of her element at the snake, continuing to slap it back.

The basilisk upchucked another fire blast, but Rhode streamed two large tendrils of water right at it, extinguishing the fire before they continued towards the beast, pushing the basilisk against the far wall.

Capitalizing on the monster's disorientation, Rhode let out another war cry, her sea green eyes burning with power as she pushed her speared weapon forward. The streaming tendrils increased in volume, pushing the basilisk with such force, the stone wall behind it started to crack.

Rhode frowned as the basilisk seemed to be able to take some punishment. Unless she went for a more stab-like attack instead of the blunt force that she was going with right now, this would never end.

The basilisk whipped its tail up and slapped it against a pillar near Rhode, bringing it down. Rhode, forced to cancel her attack, literally skated across the knee-high water, making a rooster tail of H2O fly up behind her.

Dammit! How could she launch a stabbing attack with water? It wasn't like she could harden water into a sharp spear or something, right? Wait, ice! That was it! She just had to shape the water into spears and then turn it into ice.

It was brilliant.

With that, she began concentrating on her anger. At the snake, at her friends being injured.

The temperature of the damp chamber suddenly dropped a few chilling degrees, the temperature of water falling even more rapidly as she channeled her fury and her power together. The icy waters pooled around her, the temperature not even bothering her. She fanned her arms out wide, the water obeying her mental command and parted, rising along the sides of the chamber, building higher and higher.

Rhode narrowed her eyes, slashing Spellbound forward as she focused on the emotion and gave an angry cry. The parted waves curling down on the basilisk.

At the last second the water completed its transformation, just like it did throughout all her practises with Jack, solidifying into massive crude spears of solid deadly sharp ice that went soaring towards the basilisk.

Just as the snake was about to lunge at her, it was riddled with holes, looking like an icy porcupine as it fell limp and exploded into dust.

**End: Battle of Magic Competition OST**

Rhode panted as she fell to her knees, the ice turning back into chilling water.

"Uh, think you can crank up the heat, Evans?" Lee asked from afar jokingly.

Rhode turned to them, seeing him and Su looking down at her from the head of Slytherin's statue of all places.

Su on the other hand was clapping.

"That was amazing Rhode." She smiled brightly, "I had no idea you could control your ice like that!"

Rhode rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly, "Yeah, well, I've been working on it."

"Well, can we go now?" Lee asked, pointing to his leg, "I kind of want my leg fixed. That and if we don't go soon the whole chamber is likely to flood. So me and Su probably should head for higher ground ASAP."

"Oh," Rhode said and pushed herself up in a wobble, "Yeah, let's get that patched up." She walked over, smiling at them, "Still, nice job you guys, you really saved me a couple of times back there."

Lee just grinned cheekily, "Oh yeah, you owe me." He nodded.

"It was no big deal." Su's cheeks turned pink, bashful to praise as always.

Rhode nudged her head up, "Let's get out of here."

Su proceeded to use her powers to carry them back up the pipe, bringing Lee up in much the same way that an injured person would be transported onto a helicopter for a medical evacuation the only difference being instead of a stretcher and ropes he was laying down on a large leaf and maneuvered around by animate vines. Thankfully their escape route apparently saw very little water normally, since after Rhode had stopped calling on the water, the flow had very quickly all but stopped, thus allowing them to walk up back the way they came in.

Dragging Lee back was a total pain, but he seemed to have enjoyed it despite the pain he was in. The girls got their revenge though when they dumped him off with Madam Pomfrey who was giving him the third degree as he fumbled with excuses as to why his leg had gotten broken.

Rhode had to admit, she found it fun watching him squirm.

Su's giggles told her that she did too.

* * *

_December 17, 2002._

_Man journal, it's been only a few months, but I feel it's like I've been chatting with you longer._

_It's been at least three weeks since we killed the basilisk of Slytherin. People were of course still worried about attacks, but it wasn't like the we were just going to outright tell them they had nothing to fear. Plus, having them be more cautious was funny to watch. And prudent considering the ton of dangerous stuff that happens at this seemingly 'safe' school of Hogwarts._

_The damage that I did to the school's plumbing during the fight was a lot worse than we had expected. Apparently it was serious enough that the school's water supply got cut off for three days while experts were brought in to repair it. Interestingly, during the course of said repairs, the experts... what did the wizards call their plumbers anyways?... anyways, those experts actually found the Chamber of Secrets. The whole of Wizarding Britain seemed to want to make a big deal about it? I honestly, don't understand why though. It's just a glorified basement, a recently flooded one no less. What's so special about it?_

_Back to the plumbing thing. Apparently, the Chamber was the source of the plumbing problems because the pipes that ran through it had, after the long time they had been there with no maintenance, finally failed under the water pressure and burst. Or at least that was what the plumber wizards say the cause was. I don't know if it was the Mist helping me or if it was just the wizards being wizards or my powers just being that awesome, but not having to find a way to cover up what happened was a big relief._

_Though not having running water for three days was horrible. When the taps stopped flowing, the teachers had reacted surprisingly quickly, meaning it took them a whole day, to begin giving orders to ration water for however long it took to get the plumbing fixed. This meant that all baths were prohibited and showers were via a single bucket of provided water. Toilets were likewise flushed using pails. Washbasins were also set up at all the sinks in the bathrooms too. The whole thing was like going back to the Middle Ages!_

_I would have thought that the Professors would have gotten the students to fetch the water from the Lake, where the old goat had said all of Hogwarts' water came from anyways, but that wasn't the case. According to Lee, this wasn't done because the teachers just had the school's House Elves do it instead. Yes, the school apparently has those annoying servant things too. Just like the crazy one that led me to getting zapped back during the summer. Just great! Hopefully, I don't run into one, otherwise… I'm joking! Really!_

_I asked Lee, he seemed to be the most in the know about this stuff, why they didn't use the water generating spell I heard about to make up for things. He explained that apparently it boiled down to wizards being lazy. Sure they could generate water but if they used it to create all the water the school needed, even if everyone only covered for their own share of the water, it would too troublesome. It would either mean people spending hours at a time doing nothing but casting that spell over and over again to fill up some container or have everyone use the spell when they needed water. The former would be a waste of people's time and the latter would be inconvenient, to say the least, when one needed the water in say the bathroom or shower. Much easier to just have someone else go collect the water you needed for you and have it ready when you needed it._

_Thankfully between my powers and the Room of Requirements, which curiously could still conjure things with running water when nowhere else in the castle had such, me, Su and Lee got through the water disruption without much trouble at all. Can't say the same for many others though. By the third day, the castle had built up a faint stink from the unwashed bodies within its walls. Either some people took the excuse of the water shortage to not wash themselves or they were so pampered they didn't know how to do so properly when they didn't have all the water they wanted. Either way, it was disgusting! Just for slightly different reasons._

_On that note, did you know that what's-his-name, the only member of staff that was stinky at all, fell into the latter category? Glad to know I wasn't wrong about him. The idiot at least seemed to have enough sense to know how he smelt though and kept to himself._

_Fortunately, after the water was up and running again, people soon stopped getting mysteriously ill and those that had previously fallen ill started to get better since there wasn't any more basilisk poison in the water anymore. Not only had the basilisk been killed but the repairs had supposedly included a thorough cleaning of all pipes which probably got rid of any lingering poison. Madam Pomfrey still couldn't identify what the cause of this sudden change was. Not that she had been able to figure out what was causing the problem, so it's not like she was any good in the first place!_

_Things had just finally settled down, and now the school is organizing a dueling club for tonight. One for magical duels. I heard about it from Su. I wasn't really interested, but she's so hyped out about it, so I'm gonna attend just to keep her company. That and maybe they'll teach some useful spells I can use in a fight._

_Anyways my paper friend, I've got to go. Su and Ron (he's hyped up about the whole thing too) are waiting for me. Write to you again soon._

_P.S. I think I cramped my hand writing so much. Ow._

* * *

It was eight o'clock and Rhode had walked down with Ron to the Great Hall, who was rather excited to learn some dueling. Rhode on the other hand took the whole thing with a grain of salt. She'd judge if it was useful after she'd tried it firsthand.

As she entered the Hall she noticed that the long dining tables that typically furnished it had vanished and a golden stage had appeared along one wall, lit by thousands of candles floating overhead. The ceiling was velvety black instead of the normal illusion of the night sky outside and most of the school seemed to be packed beneath it, all carrying their wands and looking excited. Rhode also noticed that a good number of the faculty were there too: all four Heads of House, and a handful of the other Professors too. They were looking decidedly less excited though, in fact they almost look resigned or exasperated.

"I wonder who'll be teaching us?" asked Ron as they edged into the chattering crowd.

"Flitwick told me he was a Dueling Champ back in his heyday." Rhode pointed out. "Hope it's him." she eyed the small Professor hopefully.

"As long as it's not -" Ron began, but he ended on a groan.

Some-guy-who-Rhode-didn't-know-the-name-of had walked onto the stage, wrapped in robes of deep plum and smiling like a loon. He was accompanied by none other than Snape, wearing his usual black robes like some wannabe Batman.

The smiling man waved an arm for silence and called, "Gather round, gather round! Can everyone see me? Can you all hear me? Excellent!"

"Who is that guy?" Rhode whispered to Ron, who just snickered.

"Nice one, mate."

"No seriously." Rhode said with a clueless look, getting Ron to blink at her.

"Okay, you are so doing that on purpose."

"Doing what?"

Ron just focused on the stage. Shrugging, Rhode did the same.

"Now, Professor Dumbledore has granted me permission to start this little dueling club, to train you all in case you ever need to defend yourselves as I myself have done on countless occasions - for full details, see my published works."

"But you didn't come here tonight to hear me prattle, so without further ado, let me begin by introducing my assistant, Professor Snape," said that guy whose name honestly kept escaping her, flashing a wide smile. "He tells me he knows a tiny little bit about dueling himself and has sportingly agreed to help me with a short demonstration before we begin. Now, I don't want any of you youngsters to worry - you'll still have your Potions master when I'm through with him, never fear!"

"Wouldn't it be good if they finished each other off?" Ron muttered in Rhode's ear, making her nod. She looked over to see Su waving her over and after telling Ron she'd be back, she wandered over to join her. She arrived just as Lee did as well, appearing from the crowd seemingly out of nowhere.

"This is going to be fun," Lee grinned at the sight of Snape's lip curling. "Smiley is so going to feel it now."

"His name's Smiley?" Rhode blinked, that sounded stupid.

Lee just smirked at that and looked at her in amusement, but didn't say anything. Instead he gestured to the stage where Smiley and Snape had turned to face each other and bowed; at least, Smiley did, with much twirling of his hands, whereas Snape jerked his head irritably. Then they raised their wands like swords in front of them.

"As you see, we are holding our wands in the accepted combative position," Smiley told the silent crowd.

Rhode snorted at that, rolling her eyes. Gods, this was stupid already. She would have just blasted the idiot right then and there if she was fighting him.

"This would have so helped us in the fight." Lee said, "Yes, let us bow before we engage in fisticuffs Mr. Basilisk." He said in a mock upper-class voice.

"It was a female basilisk." Su pointed out, getting some looks that made her flush, "It didn't have a scarlet plume on its head, meaning it was female." She muttered. She did some extra research on them after Chiron told them what the monster was. (Not that any of it had been useful in the end.)

"On the count of three, we will cast our first spells. Neither of us will be aiming to kill, of course." The guy back on stage said, drawing the demigods back to the spectacle.

"I wouldn't bet on that," Rhode murmured, watching Snape baring his teeth like a wildebeest.

"One - two - three-"

Both of them swung their wands above their heads and pointed them at their opponent; Snape cried: "Expelliarmus!" There was a dazzling flash of scarlet light that struck Smiley and blasted him off his feet before he was even midway through his own spell. The impressive spell sent the fool flying backward off the stage, smashed him into a wall, at the base of which he slid down into a sprawl on the floor.

Malfoy and some of the other Slytherins cheered.

"Huh, and I thought Snape was a wimp." Rhode said, looking mildly impressed. He was still a massive dick though.

Smiley was getting unsteadily to his feet. His hat had fallen off and his wavy hair was standing on end.

"Well, there you have it!" he said, tottering back onto the platform. "That was a Disarming Charm - as you see, I've lost my wand - ah, thank you, Miss Brown - yes, an excellent idea to show them that, Professor Snape, but if you don't mind my saying so, it was very obvious what you were about to do. If I had wanted to stop you it would have been only too easy - however, I felt it would be instructive to let them see..."

Snape was looking murderous. Smiley seemed to have noticed, because he said, "Enough demonstrating! I'm going to come amongst you now and put you all into pairs. Professor Snape, if you'd like to help me-" Just then, Flitwick gave a delicate cough from across the Hall. "Oh! My esteemed colleagues feel free to assist me here if you would- By the way, if anyone was wondering why the other Professors are here. They are here to observe the first day of the Club, so don't expect to see them here again. So if you have any questions on dueling you think their unique talents might be able to answer take this opportunity to ask!" Smiley smiled at them brightly, mild nervousness in his eyes.

The Professors then moved through the crowd, matching up partners. Smiley teamed Neville with Justin Finch-Fletchley. The rest of the staff likewise paired those from mixed houses for friendly bouts and made it a point whilst doing so to make sure that each pair were spaced apart from each other and warned them to use only safe spells and answered any questions students had pegged them with. Snape reached Rhode, Su, and Lee first, a glint in his black eyes.

"Oh joy." Rhode rolled her eyes at the man, "So, who's butt am I kicking?" she asked the man, getting a heated look from him.

"Hopefully someone who puts you in your place, Potter." He sneered at her.

"I'm shaking in my Nikes." Rhode gave him a dull blink.

Snape smiled coldly. "Mr. Malfoy, come over here. Let's see what you make of the famous Potter."

"It's Evans. Still, free win. Cool." Rhode nodded as Malfoy moved over, glaring daggers at Rhode that she ignored.

"And you, Miss Li - you can partner with Miss Bulstrode." He said as he pointed towards a Slytherin girl that looked like Crabbe and Goyle's sister. She was large and square and her heavy jaw jutted aggressively. Su, the polite little thing she was, tried to introduce herself, but the bigger girl just stared her down like she was a piece of meat.

Rhode gave the buff girl a warning glare, communicating: Try it, and see what I'll do to you in return.

"Mr. Jordan." Snape grinned wickedly, "I'm sure one of my seventh years could partner with you." He said as he jutted a pale boney finger over to the group of older, dumb, looking boys.

Lee folded his arms behind his head, "Gee, thanks Professor Snake." He said and headed over to kick some snakey booty.

"Face your partners!" called Smiley, back on the platform. "And bow!"

Malfoy barely inclined his head, Rhode just blinked with narrowed eyes, neither took their eyes off each other.

"Wands at the ready!" shouted Smiley. "When I count to three, cast your charms to disarm your opponents - only to disarm them - we don't want any accidents - one ... two ... three-"

Rhode noticed the other Professors grow alarmed at Smiley's abrupt countdown, he hadn't even explained how to cast the Disarming Charm, but she put that thought out of her mind as her ADHD allowed her to see Malfoy moving at two. Just seeing how his muscles tensed, she could see where he was going to point and she sidestepped to the right at his cry of some spell.

Oh, how cute, he thought he had her.

Now she was going to play with him before going in for the kill.

Slowly, Rhode advanced towards him. Every time he tried to hit her with a spell, Rhode was already out of the way by the time he fired. The closer she got, the more Malfoy looked like he was in a boiler room from the sweat on his face.

Before long, Rhode was face to face with him. When she got within arm's reach of the boy, she grabbed his wand arm, twisting it and did something she had always wanted to do. Reeling her head back, she head-butted him, her forehead making friends with his nose. A loud crack was heard as Malfoy fell to the ground, crying and flailing like a toddler as blood pooled from his nostrils.

Rhode's forehead was spotless, besides her scar of course.

Flitwick rushed over, exasperation clear on his face and turned to one of his more favored students, "Rhode, dear, duels have no hand to hand contact." he chided gently, aiding Malfoy. Taking out his wand, he fixed the damage to his broken nose, before moving off to break up another duel turned brawl.

All around the Hall, Professors were desperately trying to break up the all-out fights that had broken out. And occasionally like in the case with Malfoy heal injuries.

"I said disarm only!" Smiley shouted in alarm as he tried to regain order over the heads of the battling crowd. Despite Flitwick's healing, Malfoy continued to wail on the ground as Rhode took a sense of pleasure at the sight, but that was a mistake; capitalizing on her distraction, Malfoy pointed his wand at Rhode's knees, and hissed, "Tarantallegra!"

Already seeing it coming, Rhode pirouetted to the left, just missing the spell. "Wow, you still suck." Rhode pointed out with a smirk, twirling her wand in boredom.

"Stop! Stop!" screamed Smiley as he continued trying to stop the chaos he'd unleashed. He was however roughly pushed aside by a frustrated Snape who promptly took charge. "Finite Incantatem!" he shouted. His spell produced a haze of greenish smoke that hovered over the section of Hall near the stage on which he stood. Before the stage was the aftermath of the chaotic melee: Both Neville and Justin were lying on the floor, panting; Ron was holding up an ashen-faced Seamus, apologizing for whatever his hand-me-down wand had done, and Millicent finally stopped puking up banana slugs as Su apologized profusely. Lee had transfigured some of the older Slytherin guys' robes into straightjackets and their shoes into blocks of concrete. Had Rhode mentioned that Lee was a beast with transfiguration? Well, he was.

"Dear, dear," said Smiley, skittering through the crowd, looking at the result of the duels. "Up you go, Macmillan...Careful there, Miss Fawcett... Pinch it hard, it'll stop bleeding in a second. I think I'd better teach you how to block unfriendly spells," said Smiley, standing flustered in the midst of the Hall. The staff was looking rather ruffled as they directed unkind looks at him as he did his best to avoid their stern gazes. He glanced at Snape, whose black eyes glinted, and looked quickly away. "Let's have a volunteer pair - Longbottom and Finch-Fletchley, how about you-"

McGonagall cut him off mid-sentence, "Gilderoy, enough with this madness!" she said with her stern voice as some of the students flinched at her fiery angered tone.

"Honestly," Flitwick frowned sternly, "Do you know the first thing about dueling?"

"Yes, well…" Smiley dithered, unable to come up with a decent reply.

"I think I shall take over from here now, Professor Lockhart," said Snape smoothly, gliding over like a vampire. This was met by a round of nods from the other faculty members present, with the exception of a put out Smiley. "Longbottom causes devastation with the simplest spells. We'll be sending what's left of Finch-Fletchley up to the hospital wing in a matchbox." Snape mused even as Neville's round, pink face went pinker. "How about Malfoy and Potter?" said Snape with a twisted smile.

"Evans!" Rhode shouted automatically.

"Excellent idea!" said Smiley, gesturing Rhode and Malfoy into the middle of the hall as the crowd backed away to give them room.

"Now, Rhode," said Smiley cozying up to her and offering 'advice'. "When Draco points his wand at you, you do this."

He raised his own wand, attempted a complicated sort of wiggling action, and dropped it. Snape smirked as Smiley quickly picked it up, saying, "Whoops - my wand is a little overexcited-"

Flitwick walked over then, "Pardon me Gilderoy, but perhaps I'll be better suited to coach young Rhode." The daughter of Poseidon gave a thumbs up to this. "Now Rhode, there isn't any time to teach you any new spells. So I'll just give you some general advice: Play to your strengths, uh, but no physical contact though, please. Now good luck." Flitwick said wisely as he gave her an encouraging pat on the back and retreated back into the crowd.

Snape observed this before he moved closer to Malfoy, bent down, and whispered something in his ear. In response to whatever Snape told him Malfoy smirked, too. Rhode frowned at that, narrowing her eyes. What did that massive dick do now?

"Three - two - one - go!" Smiley shouted.

Malfoy raised his wand quickly and bellowed, "Serpensortia!"

In response, the end of his wand exploded. Rhode watched as a long black snake shot out of it, fell heavily onto the floor between them, and raised itself, ready to strike. There were screams as the crowd backed swiftly away, clearing the floor, the snake hissing in every which direction, venomous fangs bared for all to see.

Instinct ignited in Rhode's mind and just as Snape was about to move forward, the daughter of the sea grabbed her dagger from under Thalia's jacket and threw it. Sadly, Rhode was not Lee who could hit the wings off a fly, her dagger throwing skills were limited to larger targets. Her dagger just missed the snake, nicking its side. It hissed angrily at the action and slithered to the side right at the massed group of Slytherins.

Snape reached the snake next, and shouted. "Finite." Sadly this seemed to do nothing but send the snake flying deeper into the huddle of Slytherins. Clearly flustered, perhaps even outright panicked, Snape directed another spell, "Incendio!" at the snake now in the center of a rapidly clearing space within the cluster of his students. This however proved to be an even bigger mistake as it only set the snake on fire. So now there wasn't just a deadly poisonous snake, there was a flaming deadly poisonous snake!

"Wow," Rhode blinked at the spectacle of outright failure and summed up her opinion as the crowd screamed in panic.

Fortunately for everyone, Flitwick calmly stepped in. Hurriedly running to the scene, he quickly cast a water charm and then with a quick flick, he fired a "Vipera Evanesca!" and the snake vanished in a small puff of black smoke.

"Severus! Gilderoy! What were you two thinking!" Flitwick said calmly, too calmly, as he turned to face his two named colleagues.

"Err.." Smiley stuttered out as he tried and failed to formulate a reply.

"I panicked! I forgot Serpensortia isn't a conjuration but a long distance summoning. So I used the Finite to try to dispel it, but that doesn't work on summonings. After that, well…" Snape said, his voice sounding uncharacteristically like a guilty schoolboy.

"And why did young Malfoy even cast such a spell if he had no control over it?" Sprout questioned her colleague as she joined the inquisition.

Snape's pale features reddened at that as McGonagall pounced like the lioness she was.

"Oh, I can think up a few reasons," she frowned, gazing at Rhode for but a moment, before returning her sharp feline-like eyes to glaring at her abashed colleague. Snape caught her gaze, his lips curling into a frown.

With a sigh McGonagall raised her voice and announced, "Everyone, that will be all for one night. Please return to your dorms now." At a more normal volume, she continued whilst glaring at Smiley and Snape. "As for you two, we're not anywhere done yet. I want a very good reason why either of you thought this farce was a good idea."

Rhode would have loved to stay behind and continue to listen in on the dressing down the two idiot Professors were about to get but Lee quickly saddled up to her, handed her knife back to her and ushered her out and back to their dorm.

* * *

Rhode might not have been able to hear What's-His-Name and Snape get lectured by McGonagall, but she certainly saw the aftermath. The next day the two Professors looked utterly horrible at breakfast and throughout the rest of the day. Both spent the whole day sending furtive guilty and embarrassed looks at their colleagues. It was hilarious! So much so that the three resident demigods of Hogwarts met up in the Room of Requirement to laugh about it together.

"I really wish I knew what McGonagall told those two." Rhode said excitedly. "Whatever it was, it must have been epic!"

"Absolutely!" Lee agreed. "McGonagall is always good at making people feel horrible. Though I never thought I'd see her do it to another Professor. Much less two of them."

"Still, at least no one got really hurt." Su said with a relieved look.

"Says the one who got Gorilla Girl to puke up slugs." Rhode teased, getting a luminous flush from the daughter of Demeter.

"She was coming at me like a bull! I needed to stop her." Su protested with a pout.

"And what a way to stop her!" Rhode said before bursting into a round of laughter. Lee joining her whilst Su looked on red-faced.

"Seriously though," Rhode said as she caught her breath, "If last night was anything to go by these wizards really don't know the first thing about fighting, do they?"

Lee snorted, "Of course not. Look at our last 'Great War'." he said with finger quotes. "How it was handled was a joke. It went so poorly, I bet Ares was watching it and thought it was a terrible sitcom."

"True," Rhode snorted, "I mean, to us, we could easily take most of the people in this school down. Then again, kids don't know how to really fight. The Professors though? They might be a challenge." she said, actually sounding intrigued by the thought.

"Not really." Lee refuted. "Sure some of them like Flitwick and McGonagall might be a challenge, but most of them aren't that great. Snape is better than all the rest, and you saw how he performed last night."

"That maybe true, but what about Dumbledore?" Su asked, her Ravenclaw curiosity piqued.

"The Headmaster is in a class all his own magical power wise, as far as I know. And he's pretty creative in battle from what I've heard. But he's also seriously out of practice. He hasn't seriously fought anyone in years and he's old too. So as whole I think whilst he's definitely a challenge, a big one, for a wizard, he's not unbeatable. At best I'd rank him at the same level of threat as say the Minotaur." "

"So a bullhead that launches magic missile?" Rhode snickered at the thought of the Minotaur wearing a wizard robe and pointed hat with a fake Dumbledore beard attached around its head by a string, bellowing out spells with a big stick wand/club.

At that amusing image, all three demigods burst into laughter.

"That said, no picking fights with the staff." Lee said seriously after he'd recovered. "Especially you Rhode!" he declared at her rather eager look.

"Aw," Rhode whined.

"You just want to punch Snape in the schnoz, don't you?" Lee pointed out with mirth.

"It's a big target." Rhode said with a lopsided grin.

* * *

Rhode pursed her lips as she was sitting on her bed in the Gryffindor girls' dormitory. It was the night before she could head back to Camp Half-Blood for the holidays, but she had hit a snag. Before her were McGonagall, Sprout, and Sinistra (the astronomy professor). She was a very tall and pretty woman of African descent with olive robes and a pointed hat.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Rhode told them, her chin resting in her palms, a bored look on her face.

"Young lady," McGonagall started, giving her best disapproving look, "All those at the Dueling Club witnessed you throwing a dangerous weapon at that snake. Clearly you've been carrying one around."

"Have I?" Rhode blinked, her brow knitted in thought, "Nope. Can't say I have." She denied with no shame.

"Rhode," Sinistra said in her accented voice, "Please, child, there is no need to lie." She said kindly. Rhode was one of her best students, the girl could read a star chart like no one's business. Seriously, she could state all of Neptune's moons by heart and over half of Jupiter's moons more accurately than her fifth years! Rhode commented that it was due to frequently playing the 'Guess Who Zeus Slept With' trivia game with her friends back home.

The game had become a rather fast favorite among the older students.

"I swear, I do not have a deadly, sharp, bronze dagger with a leather grip that's about twelve inches in length on me."

"You just described it!" Sprout protested.

Rhode cocked her head to the side, "Huh, I did?"

"Evans! Stop playing around! Hand over the dagger, right now!" McGonagall demanded.

"Like I said, I don't know what you're talking about." Rhode blithely replied.

Trying another tack Sprout tried appealing to the girl's mother's memory, "Rhode, surely your mother wouldn't want you running around with something like that! What would she think if you hurt yourself with it?"

Bad move.

Rhode's face contorted into a snarl, shooting up from her bed, "I don't give a damn what that woman would think!"

All three professors seemed shocked by this. "Surely you don't mean that!" said Sprout.

"Uh, yeah, I do." Rhode glared at them, "Why should I care? I don't even know her! So I don't care what she thinks of me. I do things my way." she declared dangerously, her eyes frosty.

Sinistra took the obvious hint that the topic of Rhode's mother was a sensitive one and quickly said, "Perhaps we should leave Lily out of this?"

"Yeah, let's do that." Rhode nodded mockingly, her foul mood radiating off her.

The two Heads of House seemed reluctant to do so, but in the interest of not letting this devolve any further complied.

McGonagall whose jimmies looked plenty rustled by this point, said, "Well, I have permission from Headmaster Dumbledore to search your belongings." Hoping the threat would have some effect on her troublemaking student, but got nothing.

Rhode just waved her on, "Whatever." She said clippedly.

The head of Gryffindor House nodded and the three professors began to search her things. Under her bed, between the mattress, and her pillow sheets.

Rhode's angry eyes gained a slight amused look as they cut to the very dagger they were looking for resting on her nightstand with an extra layer of Mist over it. Best way to hide was in plain sight, right?

Besides, if she did just hide it, there was a chance it could be found. Normally this wouldn't be a problem since hidden or not, a layer of Mist would have kept any mortal from finding it. But magicals were special apparently. For some reason, the Mist didn't always work on them. Seriously, she needed Hecate's service number because last she checked mortals weren't supposed to be able to see through the Mist. Hm, maybe it was because they had magic in them? It was still stupid though. Sure, Spellbound and her shield had mortal item forms, but her dagger didn't.

It was kind of irritating.

After searching for about twenty minutes according to Rhode's quick glance at her phone and finding nothing, the professors huddled together and conferred with each other before deciding to confront Rhode once more, McGonagall taking point.

"Evans, it seems you'll be getting detention…again." The elderly woman said dryly with even more disapproval on her face.

"For what?" Rhode asked curiously.

"For clearly harboring a lethal weapon on your person." The Deputy Headmistress stated.

"Huh," Rhode nodded, "Lethal weapon you say?" McGonagall nodded, "So, what's that?" she pointed at the woman's wand.

"It's a w-"

"Weapon," Rhode answered, "You want to bug me on having some 'imaginary' dagger, then maybe you should round up all the students' wands too." She said mockingly.

"Young lady, I-"

"Oh don't deny it," Rhode snorted, "Last I checked I could set someone on fire with this thing," she said, waving her own wand around, "So really, you're giving kids weapons. You should be confiscating them too! I don't see why I'm the only one in trouble here." She informed the staff, twisting their words around.

"Wands and deadly weapons like that dagger of yours are fundamentally different things!" Sprout retorted passionately. "A weapon can only kill, but a wand can do so much more!"

"But it can also kill, can't it?" Rhode replied, a smug grin growing on her face.

"That might be true, Rhode," Sinistra said slowly, thoughtfully. "but we make sure students here in Hogwarts are taught responsible use of their wands."

"Right! Like everyone here are oh so responsible!" Rhode retorted, her grin now firmly entrenched on her face. Literally begging them to try and deny that.

"No, but ideally they should be!" McGonagall said as she joined the conversation. "And this is a school so a certain amount of irresponsibility is to be expected from the students before we teach them to know better."

"Yeah, well, I live in reality, not make-believe." Rhode shrugged, "To me, a weapon is a weapon. No matter how much you try to make it sound pretty."

Sinistra, looking like she almost agreed with Rhode, said, "That is…a rather bold and mature viewpoint. I need to think about this. Minerva, Pomona, could you handle the rest of this without me?" Without waiting for a reply, she turned to leave, a contemplative expression written all over her face as if she had just had a revelation.

The two remaining Professors exchanged looks. They appeared distinctly uncomfortable, both by what Rhode had said and by how it seemed to have swayed one of her colleagues. Finally, McGonagall seemed to recover enough to turn to Rhode and declare, "Regardless of the validity of your point of view, the rules are the rules. By those rules, your dagger is illegal whilst wands are not. Hence, either you hand over the dagger for a lighter punishment or refuse to do so and suffer a harsher one."

"Meh, I've dealt with worse." Rhode gave a careless shrug.

With that the two Professors turned and left, Sprout trailed back a bit though. At the dorm's threshold though she turned around and looked at Rhode, "You have given me much to think on, Rhode. I honestly don't think I'll ever agree with you, but what you said is something I need to reflect on nonetheless. Thank you for sharing your insight." with that, she turned to leave.

As Rhode watched them go, her cheeky grin came in full force.

Daughter of Poseidon, one hundred and seventy two. The system, eighty nine.

Fight the power!

* * *

After the 'eventful' first semester of Rhode's second year at Hogwarts, she could honestly say it was nice to be back at camp for the holidays.

The time away had changed Rhode's appearance. The most obvious of these changes was her hair which had grown over the school year, well past her shoulders, nearing the middle of her back. It flowed in a loose and messy manner with a few locks sticking out, but fit her in a way. Her new hairstyle seemed to get the attention of more than a handful of the campers for some reason. Girls, especially but not limited to those from Aphrodite Cabin, all complimented her on how it improved her looks. Guys on the other hand would sometimes stop and stare or even turn their heads to get a closer look at her when she walked pass, a mixture of shock, fascination and on a few occasions something she couldn't yet identify too, playing across their faces. Rhode found all this new attention strange, but in some way exciting. Not that she let it distract her from more important stuff.

Stuff like saying happy birthday to Thalia, telling her how crazy stuff had been, and how it started to feel normal to her. Seriously, as crazy as it sounds, her time at Hogwarts almost seemed like it was nothing more than getting involved in one crazy situation one after another. After a while, that became almost a routine and it was the times that there wasn't something going on that had her feeling antsy. It was seriously weird, and she was honestly a little upset that it was the case, but when was her life anywhere near normal? In light of that, the Hogwarts madness was just par for the course.

Now you might be wondering why Rhode was distracting herself with thinking about the nature of her school experience, well… that was because she had to do something to alleviate her mild boredom as everyone around her was working on a gingerbread house for the contest of who could make the best one. One of the many activities the campers dreamed up over the Winter Break to get everyone into the holiday spirit. Of course, you needed a partner for the gingerbread house contest. Luckily, Annabeth had all but demanded her to be her partner. Rhode thought it was going to be fun, but Annabeth told her she had it all handled.

Thus, Rhode was bored as the tiny architect worked. Her confection covered fingers creating a small replica of the Taj Mahal out of gingerbread, vanilla frosting, Smarties, and M&M's. She was using a ruler to scale stuff along with a right triangle and a plastic knife to carve and cut off unwanted edges.

Rhode groaned, leaning her face against the table and went for some Smarties (She wished they were Skittles) only to receive a whack on the top of her hand with a ruler, "Ow! Bethy." She glared at her little friend, who had whacked her without even looking.

"No eating my materials." The blonde said, her fingers blazing as she was only halfway done.

Rhode pouted at that. Soon, she crept her fingers as they walked on the table for another go, only to get whacked again, "Ow! Okay, you hit me one more time, you can kiss that Game Boy of yours goodbye." She threatened.

Annabeth regarded her, her grey eyes wide with horror, "…Fine," she relented, "You can have two." She huffed and scratched her nose, getting frosting on the tip of it.

"Damn right." Rhode said and grabbed two Smarties, popping them in her mouth.

Nils, the judge, walked by, "One more minute guys." He told them and went on to tell someone else the same information.

Annabeth gasped, "What?! B-But you can't rush perfection!" she said, clearly scandalized as she was just over halfway done with her amazing design that would clearly win first place!

"Seems the clock is ticking." Rhode lazily pointed out as Annabeth couldn't even hear her. The little girl rushing so she could win the competition. The prize was a twenty drachma credit at the camp store.

Soon the whistle was blown and Annabeth handed in their (her) three quarter finished Taj Mahal with the center dome missing, leaving a gaping hole.

Annabeth was sulking as they didn't even make it into the top three.

"You should have let me help." Rhode said, now eating from the bowl of Smarties.

"I knew I could have done it," Annabeth stomped her foot, "Stupid time limit." She puffed up her cheeks and crossed her arms, "I mean, people were just making houses, I was making art!"

"Yeah, it was a gingerbread house contest, not a gingerbread sculpting contest. It was also a team contest, Annabeth." Rhode frowned at her. She could already see the famous Fatal Flaw of Athena cabin on her face.

Hubris.

Sure, for right now it was over a childish matter, but Annabeth believed she did better than anyone else. In _everything_. Rhode could only imagine what kinda of trouble a Fatal Flaw like that would bring, not that she herself had much room to talk in that regard.

"Maybe if I went for a smaller scale, or at least constructed from the center outward." Annabeth muttered to herself.

Luke walked up to them, "She upset she lost?" he asked Rhode as Annabeth talked to herself, paced back and forth, nodding to herself.

"Oh yeah." Rhode nodded, eating another Smartie and held out the bowl for Luke. He took a few and started eating, "It's hilarious though." She snickered as Annabeth was breaking down her building process and where she should have done this or that to be better.

"I know." The blond nodded.

Rhode decided to break Annabeth out of her cycle of what-ifs with the best distraction she could think of.

"Hey, Bethy," Rhode grinned.

"What?" Annabeth huffed. Why couldn't Rhode see she was thinking important gingerbread building tactics!

"We're going to grab some chocolate, wanna come?" the daughter of Poseidon asked, popping another Smartie.

"…Hershey chocolate?" Annabeth asked quietly of her secret, not so secret, vice.

Rhode nodded.

Annabeth was by her side in a second, dragging her by her arm, "Come on! Let's go!" she said with stars in her eyes.

Rhode gave Luke a knowing grin.

Annabeth was just so easy.

* * *

Rhode fell back on her bed with a sigh. It was Christmas Eve and, checking her phone quickly, about ten at night.

The camp had a big dinner and sing-along with great cheer. Jack playing the joker as usual and using his ice powers to entertain everyone on his birthday. Rhode even helped his performance but her control with ice was far more lacking compared to his, but it was still fun nonetheless to help out in making this festive day special. He said it was a pretty cool birthday/Christmas gift.

That made Rhode smile.

Resting her head against her soft pillow, Rhode lifted her phone up, and pressed some buttons.

She paused at a phone number.

Dad.

Rhode chewed her lip.

Throwing caution to the wind, Rhode hit the call button.

She brought it to her ear and heard it ring once, twice, and just as it was about to ring thrice, it was picked up.

"Hello?" the voice of Poseidon rippled through her eardrum, music playing in the background with lots of chatter.

Gulping a bit from nerves, Rhode pushed out a greeting, "Hi, um, dad."

"Rhode!" the voice greeted with cheer, "How are you?" he asked.

"I…I'm good, dad." She pushed some hair behind her ear, and then rested her hand on her chest, fiddling with her pearl, "I just wanted to say…Merry Christmas."

The line was silent for a moment as the music in the background played and Rhode worried until a laugh was heard. It was kind and warm, making her racing heart ease.

"Merry Christmas to you as well, my daughter."

Rhode couldn't stop the smile forming her lips, "That's, well, that's all I wanted to say. I uh, got to go to bed. Too much partying." She rushed out.

"Ah, true. Currently at the party here on Olympus, I-Hey, Apollo, watch it with that confetti cannon! Artemis, put down that bow and Apollo stop using me as a shield!" he shouted, "I will whack you with my trident, don't tempt me!"

Rhode blinked and a giggle slipped through her lips as she heard her father shouting at the Archery Twins.

"I, now listen, ah, yes, yes. Thank you, Hestia. Give them an earful for me." Poseidon sighed with relief over the line, "I swear, those twins…"

Rhode snorted, "So, party up in heaven?"

Poseidon laughed, "Yes, it gets a bit wild. I'm sure Dionysus is being a crab as usual, since he's stuck down there at camp."

Rhode groaned, "For the party god, he sure knows how to try and zap the fun out of the holidays."

"My condolences. Now, as you were saying, off to bed."

Rhode smiled softly, "Night, dad."

"Good night, Rhode."

Rhode ended the call, looking up at the cabin ceiling as her hand with the phone rested on her chest. She turned it off and put it on her nightstand. She had called her dad, for the first time. And he'd answered! Warmly! Even though he was at a party with the other Olympians. He wasn't lying about taking her call whenever she called. She didn't think he was, but part of her, that horribly angry and distrustful part of her that she tried to keep bottled up had doubted. But she'd just proved it was wrong!

Her dad had answered her call. She couldn't stop the surge of happiness that coursed through her veins as the realization settled on her mind once more. He cared.

With these happy thoughts coursing through her mind, Rhode surrendered herself to Morpheus' embrace as he came knocking. Eyes drooping, she snuggled into her sheets, shifting her feet a bit, falling into a restful sleep, a smile on her face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks Sieg and Nameless, you two rock as usual.
> 
> Okay, I think this is my biggest chapter. Wow. I am just a fiend with these.
> 
> Yes, Rhode cannot remember who Lockhart is, he is that unimportant to her. So I thought it would be funny to play on that. XD
> 
> So, diary, no! Journal entries. We thought that up since one, it would be therapeutic for Rhode perchance and it fit so well with this year. Hope you enjoy them!
> 
> And Rhode is now a pixie slayer. Now, you might think that is excessive, but remember, Rhode is a demigod, they were little monsters. Instincts took over and she took them down! Truly, the book is to be feared as a weapon, remember that readers when you have a pixie problem.
> 
> Sieg: Or a teacher problem. Or any problem really.
> 
> So yes, I got rid of the paralysis and killer eyes since PJO basilisks don't have them and went with the powers more in line with PJO since it would be more entertaining. Mrs. Norris is dead, yes! And I went with poisoning the water supply because it would be interesting since when do we ever see that? As a child of Poseidon, Rhode would be able to catch little things like that.
> 
> Su did in fact make bullet seeds with sunflowers. Fun fact, sunflowers are sacred to her mother, Demeter. Sadly, Su was at a major disadvantage in this fight due to monster typing (it's like I'm talking about Pokemon), but still made up for it in the end with a cactus. I just had to. It was priceless.
> 
> Sieg: Su used Bullet Seed! It's not very-oh screw it, you all know what I'm talking about.
> 
> Lee showed his knife throwing skills and his aerial ability. Yes, he got pinned down, but he still helped save the day.
> 
> And Rhode saved the day with plumbing. Truly a dangerous career! Using the pipes to get around was the basilisk's downfall since she was up against a kid of Poseidon, yeah! She's getting pretty good with that ice, huh? Also, if you're wondering how she took that fireball, like she said, heat resistance. Check Percy's powers on the CHB wiki, it's right there if you don't believe me. You must be wondering what else could this year have? Well, Rhode still has to hunt a certain book.
> 
> Sieg: It's like the witch hunts all over again!
> 
> Nameless2210: About the water supply disruption bit. That was my idea. It's an attempt to make Rhode's actions have consequences and also to showcase a bit of a critique of the Wizarding World. In that they don't seem to have any contingency plans for emergencies like a sudden loss of water supply. We see this from the Ministry's bumbling approach to the outbreak of war in canon (both the first and second Voldemort wars). I'm not saying the mundane world is all that better on that front, but at least we have the bare bones plans on how to cope. From canon, it seems the wizards, with a few exceptions, don't believe in being prepared at all! Hope I didn't go too far with this.
> 
> I don't think so. I've worked with a water company before. I've seen how these things go down. It was pretty much correct.
> 
> The dueling club, we changed too. Honestly the canon dueling club never made much sense. Considering the nature of the event and its possibility for physical harm and the readily apparent popularity (it was the most talked about thing amongst the student body during that time period in canon) it seemed ridiculous that no other faculty except Snape and Lockhart were there to keep an eye on things. So we changed that. Furthermore, a major fault in canon in my opinion was the hyper competence that Snape seems to demonstrate for much of the series. I mean, the man is good at what he does (outside of teaching), but he's not infallible. Hence why we had him panic and screw up when things got out of hand. A little nod to the fact that he is above all still human. Flitwick saving the day though should be obvious: it's to reflect the fact that he's canonically a former dueling champion. Hope you all like the changes we made.
> 
> Sieg: Rhode's headbutt was meant to demonstrate a few things: One, wizarding folk tend not to move when fighting, unless they're running for their lives. Why this is? We don't know. I've just assumed it's because they're not too bright. Two, Rhode is the kind of person who uses every advantage to get an edge in a fight, something that's frowned upon in the Wizarding World. Third, Rhode's Head Malfoy's Nose.
> 
> The dagger hunt was to show Rhode's budding ability with the Mist. And to give her the opportunity to voice her opinion on the 'weapon' labeling to her teachers. Fight the power!
> 
> And finally, Rhode and Poseidon exchanging X-Mas greetings, I thought it would be a cute and sweet chapter ending, hope you liked it guys.
> 
> Next time: Dwarves in diapers that sing! Yeah, I said that.
> 
> Read and review, please no flames, and peace off!


	13. Year Two: My Bloody Valentine

**Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson or Harry Potter.**

**The Unrelenting Frozen Seas: The Journey**

**Year Two: My Bloody Valentine**

**Beta: Siegfried01**

* * *

**(The Diary Horcrux: Tom Riddle's POV)**

_The mighty Monster of Slytherin is dead! The monstrous Basilisk that was the greatest weapon my esteemed ancestor had bequeathed to his descendants killed! By a mere girl! Damn that Potter girl!_ The shade of the young wizard Tom Riddle fumed within the confines of the pages that served as his prison.

Roars echoed endlessly around the world of smoke and shadows as the shade of a teenaged Tom Riddle raged and fumed; the thin sheets of yellowed and mildew-infested pages that served as his prison showed no indication of his rage however, the book sitting innocently on a table.

 _No, maybe it wasn't her. As I said she's just a girl, a pitiful half blood. There was no way she could have done something like that. Even if she supposedly defeated the real me. That was a fluke. It must be!_ Riddle tried to reassure himself, but even as he tried to convince himself a treacherous part of its mind whispered back: _What if it was not? She was famed for killing his true self in the prime of his wizarding life, and Lord Voldemort was a powerful and formidable wizard, who's to say she didn't possess the power to kill a basilisk?_

Ruthlessly quashing that train of thought, as he had done to his own emotions on many an occasion during his rise to greatness, the shade begun to ponder the possible alternatives: _But if not the girl, then who? Dumbledore? Feh! That old fool failed to located even the Entrance to the Chamber when the beast was unleashed the_ _last time, there is no way he could have found the Chamber of the Monster_ and _bypass the defenses this time. The Chamber was sealed by Parselmagic,_ _how could anyone have worked around that aspect of the protections?! Not the Professors, they are even more pathetic than the senile codger they called their Headmaster; and the students were worse than the newest Death Eater._

 _Argh! Who cares who did it! The most important thing is what am I going to do now? With the Chamber discovered, I can no longer use it as a hiding place and without the Basilisk I lack my greatest weapon. And after all that trouble of doing a forceful possession of that weak minded Weasley girl to get her to open the Chamber and free the Monster for me. All that effort,_ _ **wasted**_ _!_ Riddle raged as he continued to ruminate on his situation.

 _I'd even departed from my original plan to subtly worm my way into her confidence and through it her heart and mind too. Though considering how things have developed perhaps that was for the best, what with something stealing me from my victims before I can make any headway via my usual methods._ That perhaps had been the most frustrating thing for the horcrux throughout its whole return to Hogwarts. Every time its prison came into the possession of some fool that he could manipulate he was promptly stolen by some unseen force and left somewhere else in the castle by the same unseen individual. The only exception had been the Weasley girl and only because she had acquired his jail before reaching Hogwarts. Not that he remained in her ownership long after arriving at the school. He was barely in the castle for a week before he was stolen the first time and changed hands a dozen times at least before the Weasley girl recovered the diary. That was why the moment she did he'd exploited all the little hooks he'd set up in her mind to force a possession to do what needed to be done. _Too bad the book had gotten stolen the moment Weasley passed out from the strain, thereby breaking my hold on her._

Riddle didn't know who or what was behind this but he was thankful that whatever it was seemed restrained in some way to keep him within the castle. That at least allowed him access to a whole host of pliable minds he could lure to pick up his cell and, through contact with it, open themselves up to his enthrallment.

 _Speaking of pliable minds._ Riddle would have smiled then if his confinement allowed such luxuries as a body. _Come here little boy. Let old Tom help you with your worries._ Riddle cooed as he cast his mind out and towards the mind of the young boy he could sense approaching. As if reacting to his inaudible voice, the boy paused. _Yes, come right this way child. Tom will solve all your problems for you._

Unfortunately, even as the boy seemed to face where the horcrux lay, the shade within felt the first stirrings of the power that had been a thorn in its side the whole time it had been at Hogwarts. _No. Not now! No-_ The shade's impotent cry echoed throughout its prison as the diary disappeared from the nondescript Hogwarts corridor it had previously rested in. Leaving nothing behind but a confused first year looking around for the source of the strange feeling he felt just moments before.

* * *

_January 8, 2003._

_Hey paperback, I'm back! Whoo rhymes!_

_Man, the Winter Holiday went by way too fast! New Year was good, got some nice gifts for Christmas too._

_Ron was just complaining about how his sister Ginny made friends with Granger. I honestly did not see that coming. I thought that snobbish attitude would've kept people away. Go figure. It's a little… I dunno? Creepy? Yeah, I can't really describe it but the way the two are when they're together just makes me feel uneasy. Ginny was totally fangirling over me and Granger isn't really my number one fan (Not that I care mind you), so I can't even imagine how they got along. I know Ginny got disillusioned about me pretty quickly when I didn't live up to the fairy tale the wizards have been selling me as for years (excluding the monster slayer bits), without my consent mind you, but it was obvious she still admired me lots. Then again, Ginny did seem awfully lonely up in the Common Room the handful of times I saw her before she and Granger started hanging out. I know what it's like to be like that and suddenly have someone rescue you from that loneliness. But Granger is_ _**nothing** _ _like Thalia, I mean Thalia never tried to control me. Granger… well, she's a bloody control freak! I mean, she's drawn up a schedule for Ginny, and expects the younger girl to follow it religiously. Would a friend do that? I don't think so. But what can I do? I'm not exactly friends with either of them. Even Ron doesn't know what to do, hence his complaining._

_Anyway, as he complained, I tuned him out and instead listened to what Dean was telling me about how his holiday was. He went to the Barbican Art Gallery! The only reason I know about it is because Bethy told me about it. It has stuff from acclaimed architects to Turner prize-winning artists, as well as work by stars of design and photography! Man, I would love to see some of that stuff! He laughed and said his relative worked there so he got a free pass. I hope I can go there someday._

_Another interesting thing is that everyone in the school is still so hyped up about the Heir of Slytherin thing. There hasn't been any attacks since Mrs. Norris, yet everyone is jumping at shadows as if the Heir is gonna go on a killing spree any day now. It would be hilarious if it wasn't so sad. The wizards aren't even doing anything to find the Heir or check if the threat is real. All they're doing is panicking. Is there any wonder why I think they're pathetic? Oh, sure, they found the Chamber of Secrets, by accident, true (Thanks to me), but they found it nonetheless. But do they follow up on that? Check it for clues to the Heir? No, nothing of the sort. So the Heir is still among us and a threat to innocent children._

_But you know what's worse? I still have to find that stupid diary!_

_Er, no offense to you Journal. You're way better than some dinky diary!_

_Anyway, enough complaining for one day. Later Book Buddy._

* * *

**(Weasley Twins POV)**

Today was Valentine's Day! A great day for pranks if there ever was one. This was the thought running through the minds of the dreaded Weasley Twins as they sat down for breakfast. And befitting this special occasion, the boys had something very special in mind for the unsuspecting souls of Hogwarts and thus, even as they ate, they were busily discussing the details of their upcoming spectacular and totally devious plan.

"These decorations are hilariously over the top." George commented. The Great Hall's walls were all covered with large, lurid pink flowers. Worse still, heart-shaped confetti was falling from the pale blue ceiling. "Just what you'd expect from that flop Lockhart. But they do serve our purposes nicely, don't they dear brother?" George ended in an exaggerated supervillain voice, idly nibbling on a piece of bacon.

"They sure do." Fred replied, whilst quirking an eyebrow in consternation at his twin's antics as he set aside his plate having finished his meal. "Is everything ready?"

"Oh yes." George replied as he rubbed his hands together in satisfaction still imitating the stereotypical supervillain. "It'll be grand."

"Knock it off, George." Fred started, obviously irritated with his brother. "You look like a…" He never got to finish as just then through the doors to the entrance hall marched a dozen surly-looking dwarfs in diapers. Not just any dwarfs, however. Lockhart had them all wearing golden wings and carrying harps.

"Good morning my beloved friends here in Hogwarts! I hope you liked the decorations I've thrown up for this special day, it's but one of a number of thoughtful little things I've come up with to make this special day even more fabulous! Now let me introduce you to another: My friendly, card-carrying cupids!" beamed Lockhart from his place at the Staff Table, as he gestured to the dwarfs. "They will be roving around the school today delivering your valentines! And the fun doesn't stop here! I'm sure my colleagues will want to enter into the spirit of the occasion! Why not ask Professor Snape to show you how to whip up a Love Potion! And while you're at it, Professor Flitwick knows more about Entrancing Enchantments than any wizard I've ever met, the sly old dog!"

 _Really! Those things would be great in pranks! Never knew the Professors were just as much pranksters as ourselves!_ Thought the twins as they observed the Staff Table with new eyes. The Professors though didn't seem to like the idea much as demonstrated by Flitwick burying his face in his hands and Snape looking as though the first person to ask him for a Love Potion would be force-fed poison, the painfully slow kind.

"This is so stupid." The ever-grumpy Rhode Evans commented as she took a sip of her morning milk.

"Now now Rhode, it's a time for love and understanding!" George said with a finger in the air.

"And pranks," Fred added.

"Of course." George sniffed indignantly. That was always implied.

Rhode snorted at them.

"So dismissive. We'll melt that Killer Frost exterior yet!" Fred teased playfully.

Rhode gave them an icy glare befitting her title, "Are you comparing me to a comic book villainess?"

"She icy cold?" the twins asked as one.

Rhode nodded.

"Then yes." they answered dutifully.

The twins' teasing of Rhode however was cut short when they saw a dwarf coming towards her, tapping her arm.

"What?" the beanie wearing girl asked.

"You Rhode Evans?" the burly dwarf asked.

"…Yeah." Rhode nodded slowly, giving the dwarf an odd look.

In response, the dwarf strummed his harp, Rhode gaining a bewildered look as he did so. Clearing his throat, the dwarf sang, "Oh to my Beanie Sweetie-!"

He was cut off as the twins saw Rhode lodge her fist right into his face, making him crumple in a heap.

Rhode blinked and looked at her fist oddly, "Huh, must've been a reflex." She idly commented and went back to her breakfast, like a fat little dwarf hadn't just try to sing about her.

The twins were rendered speechless for a moment at the sight before they simultaneously uttered a, "That was awesome!"

Rhode blinked at them, "What?" taking a bite out of her toast.

"I've only seen Lee with moves like that," Fred whispered of their bestest buddy, outside themselves of course.

"Kung-Fu superstar that one is." George nodded.

"Whatever," Rhode rolled her eyes and sat up, "Come on, Ron, we got class." she said, taking her toast on the go.

"Right," their little brother nodded, chasing after her like an eager puppy.

"Well then, now that our morning entertainment has left…" George began.

"Let's get back to plotting." Fred finished.

* * *

"Oh George! I wonder where all these Chocolate Frogs come from?" George asked, as if he didn't already know.

"And colored hot pink no less with a hint of roses!" Fred gasped as the aforementioned frogs were hopping around all over the place.

"However, are we gonna have our lunch in peace like this?" George asked now assuming the voice of a stereotypical airhead.

"Argh! George! Stop doing that, it's creepy." Fred said in disgust.

"Sticks and stones brother, I'm trying to launch my acting career here." George deadpanned at him.

"Well, you better find another job then, because you suck!" Fred replied, equally deadpan.

"Whatever! Let's just head over to the kitchens and grab lunch in peace." George answered testily.

As they nodded in agreement, they walked down the hall with a synchronized swagger that only twins could have. As they rounded the corner, they stopped short at an amazing sight.

"Oh for your eyes are the greenest of green, the murky waters of the sea would envy-!"

Rhode knocking around a trio of dwarves.

"Oh, by the gods, shut up you freaky midgets!" the second year shouted, kicking one of the pesky things so hard it bounced down the corridor.

"Hair as black as night, wavy like toilet water down the drain-!"

"Stop singing stupid talk!" Rhode let out a snarl of anger as she outright grabbed one and tossed it out a convenient nearby window.

A third story window.

A thud came seconds later.

The girl literally defenestrated one of Lockhart's dwarfs!

"You killed Kenny!" the dwarf with a broken nose said nasally, "You monster!"

Rhode blinked for a moment and shrugged uncaringly. "There are charms for falls on the windows. Besides don't you think you have more important things to worry about then your friend?"

"Ah!" the cry came from the window, "You broke my legs you damn broad! I'll sue you for this!"

"Tell it to my lawyer!" Rhode shouted back and turned back to the remaining dwarf, cracking her knuckles most threateningly.

The dwarf, mighty and proud, despite his embarrassing Cupid outfit, stood defiant against his foe and raised his harp to launch the only effective attack he had: his awful singing.

He strummed it, "Like lightning through my heart, your scar-" It got no further, as he found itself body slammed into a nearby stone wall with considerable force and knocked mercifully unconscious.

Rhode huffed and puffed as she moved over to lean against a nearby closet, "Damn singing monstrosities...May Apollo smite you and your souls!"

"Wow!" The twins breathed out as their senses returned to them after seeing all that awesome!

The closet shuffled a bit and Rhode stumbled back as it was opened.

The sight of who, or whom, tumbled out was a sight to see.

Their Prefect Pinhead brother Percy! With a girl!

"It's that Ravenclaw Prefect," Fred whispered to his twin.

"Penelope Clearwater, right?"

"What is going out here?" Percy said even as he hurriedly straightened his untidy clothes.

"Uh…" Rhode answered with the grace of a scholar, eyeing the carnage she had left in the wake of her warpath. Subtly cleaning the blood off her knuckles with her robe. She eyed her surroundings like a convict on the run.

"Evans," Percy scolded, "I should write you up." He warned with the famous finger wag he got from mum.

"Nothing at all, dear brother! Nothing at all." Fred answered in Rhode's stead.

"The real question though, is what was going on in that broom cupboard?" George asked mischievously, wiggling his eyebrows.

"Yeah! What _were_ you doing in a locked and warded cupboard, brother dear?" Fred continued teasingly.

"And with a _girl_!?" The twins concluded simultaneously.

Red-faced, Percy stuttered out, "None of your business."

"Perhaps a letter to mum would settle this."

"Oh, she'd be thrilled!" Fred gushed as Percy's Adam's apple bounced.

"Y-You two will do no such thing!" he said, his voice going up a pitch. _Oh, he's nervous. His voice only ever does that when he's nervous. We have him on the ropes._ The twins thought as they smirked triumphantly.

"Quick! To the Owlery!" George shot a dramatic finger in the air.

"Time to make like a banana and split!" Fred grinned wildly and they dashed away like their pants were on fire.

"Oh no you don't! You two are going nowhere!" Percy shouted as he chased after his fleeing brothers. He went as far as drawing his wand and shooting a series of spells after them.

Even as the twins fled their brother's admittedly righteous wrath, they saw as they looked back, that a confused looking Rhode commented to Clearwater that: "Boys are weird."

The Ravenclaw Perfect just gave a mute nod, even as they shouted back as they rounded the corner of the hallway and lost sight of the girls, "Girls are even weirder!"

* * *

Dinner found the twins fleeing the Great Hall once again. This time leaving a barrage of colorful explosions that left sickeningly sweet love messages all over the place and on peoples' clothes in their wake. Lee was busying strutting his **Hot Stud** messaged bum around the place winking at all the girls he tended to eye. They however were prudent enough to hit the highway to avoid getting caught.

As they rounded a corner on their way to the safety of their dorms however, they were not for the first time that day met with an amusing sight. The buffoon Lockhart, looking decidedly less dashing than usual but rather a waterlogged mess, was seemingly trying sneak his way pass a bathroom.

"Professor Lockhart, what are you doing?" George asked curiously.

"Is something wrong with the bathroom?" Fred further inquired.

Seemingly startled by their presence, Lockhart jumped a foot into the air as he turned around to face them. "What! Who goes there?"

"It's just us…"

"The Weasley Twins, Professor."

"Oh! Students!" The sorry excuse for a Professor said as he desperately struggled to straighten out his ruined clothing.

"Err…Professor?"

"Yes?"

"Why are you drenched?"

"Because the bathrooms are out to get me!" Lockhart shrieked hysterically.

 _Ok… The man's lost it!_ The Weasleys concluded simultaneously.

Then, like the rapture itself, the bathroom door exploded into splinters as a torrent of toilet water surged towards them. Oddly enough, it only scooped up Lockhart who waved his arms like a loon and screamed in a very girly pitch as he was washed down the hallway and right out the corridor.

Surprisingly dry, the twins followed after the water and watched as Lockhart was dumped into The Great Lake. For a moment the twins were so filled with awe and terror at the sight that they just stood there. As the moment passed, they began to panic as they feared that Lockhart might have drowned. However, just before they were to run and get some help they saw the man emerge from the Lake gargling for a loofah and rosemary scented soap for some reason.

Both decided then and there to bolt, knowing they might get credit for this, which would be bad because: A) they'd get punished for something they didn't do; B) the real genius behind the prank might get pissed for them stealing their thunder and after that performance they definitely didn't want to be on the receiving end of the other prankster's work. After what they'd seen, they would never look at a loo the same way again.

With that in mind, they rushed through the twists and turns of their own secret route back to their dorm. Sadly, as soon as they burst into the common room, they found that they'd fallen right into the dreaded claws of Professor McGonagall.

"Weasleys." She greeted in the tone that they had come oh so familiar with. The one that said: Oh you two are _so_ dead.

Meh, they were used to it.

"Your...artwork in the Great Hall needs a good scrubbing." She idly commented, her voice as sharp as a crack of a whip.

"Us?" the twins said, clearly scandalized at being accused.

"Dear dear Professor McGonagall." George said as he melodramatically grasped his heart, his face contorted in faux pain, "How could we, two bright eyed, innocent, law abiding-"

"Also, you will be cleaning the Great Hall without magic." she said in a clipped tone, cutting off George's award winning performance.

"What?" Fred gaped, they went for waterproof paint! They'd be down there for hours!

"Rules are rules, Weasleys."

"Tell that to Rhode." George muttered, getting the McGonagall's gizzard to wobble.

"Evans, at least has the good sense to not get caught red-handed." McGonagall replied as she gestured to a pile of spare paint bombs they had originally stashed under their beds.

With a flick of her wand, two mops and buckets flew out from a storage cabinet near the room's entrance, "Now, chop chop." She ordered curtly as the twins hung their heads, grasping the tools of detention damnation.

They sulkily walked out of the common room and on their way to the paint covered Great Hall.

"I think it's an improvement," Fred voiced his honest opinion.

"Hear hear." George nodded as he dropped his bucket, stabbing his mop into it, "Same! No one understands our genius, eh, brother?"

"Indeed." Fred nodded gallantly, dropping his bucket as well, impaling his tool into the water.

"So who do you think Lockhart pissed off that badly?" George said as he began the laborious task of cleaning the Hall.

"Maybe Myrtle? I mean, only that crazy could control a toilet that well, right?" Fred gave his opinion.

"Nah! She ain't that powerful! No way she'd have done something like that." George rebutted.

"Then who? Rhode? I mean she definitely had the motive and she's plenty powerful." Fred asked jokingly.

"Oh yes, I can see it now," George grinned, "Chosen One, Heir to the All-Mighty Sewer System."

"But you know, all joking aside, it could seriously be her, right?" Fred said seriously.

For a moment, the twins pondered the possibility but then dismissed it with a synchronized, "Nah!"

* * *

The next morning found the twins sleep deprived and barely coherent as they stumbled back down to the Great Hall for breakfast. They'd worked until the wee hours of the morning and were less than half done when Filch had showed up to send them off to bed. Looking around the once again immaculate Hall, they couldn't help but feel a little resentment. After all, if the staff had some way to clean it up why get them to do it? The fact that it was punishment never even factored into their thoughts on the issue.

"What happened to you two?" Rhode asked them, as they sat down. They just stared at her not answering causing her to shrug and turn back to her food and take a savage bite out of her bacon with a highly satisfied look on her face as she smirked around the porky goodness.

The twins, despite their sleep deprived minds, looked at her critically and then to Lockhart who was claiming that he fought a vicious toilet spirit last night. Turning back to her, they connected the dots, Rhode just had to be the culprit.

Placing a hand on their heads, they tipped their metaphorical hat to her, "Hail the All-Mighty Toilet Princess!"

"What'd you call me!" She snapped at them dangerously. Cowed, the twins put up their hands in surrender.

"Nothing." They quickly replied.

The girl looked at them searchingly and both of them felt that she was looking into their very souls with those frigid sea green eyes. Thankfully, whatever she found seemed to satisfy her because after a moment she snorted and returned her attention back to her breakfast.

The twins shared a sigh of relief before they grinned at each other. Seemed they'd have to up their game. Sure, it would take a while to top or even match the sheer awesome of Rhode's prank, but they were determined to try! And succeed! They just hoped they did it without stepping on her toes and earning a soaking beforehand.

* * *

_February 16, 2003._

_Valentine's Day was a pain! I get that people want to spend time with their boyfriends or girlfriends, or at least I'm starting to get it. I still don't really get why I would want a boyfriend, but if I had someone I considered special like that then I would want to spend time with him as much as possible too. But seriously the whole Valentine's thing just seems so… I dunno? Fake? I just can't see how Valentine's is different from any other day when it comes to doing that._

_And I definitely don't need dwarves in diapers singing to me! Curse what's-his-name and his stupid ideas! His horrible decorations in the Great Hall were one thing, but the dwarfs on top of that? Unbearable._

_I can see why Thalia always complained about it while we travel. In fact, I still have that picture we took on a Valentine's Day back at Cabin Three. At least I have_ _**one** _ _fun memory for that day, unlike here._

_But why did I keep getting so many singing dwarves? Do I look like I'm interested in going out with anyone? Argh! All those idiots just assuming things or worse just trying their luck. If I find out who they are… well, I think I'll give them a taste of how I returned the favor to what's-his-name for starting this mess in the first place!_

_I swear, the only nice guy that day was Dean. He even helped direct a dwarf off my trail. He's a good dude. Well, the Weasley twins helped with their brother Percy, but they're just as much trouble makers as I am. So I can't really call them good guys._

_Talking about Percy, ever since what happened with Penelope (who is very nice!), he's been on the warpath over the twins keeping quiet about him dating her. He didn't think to ask me to keep it from his mum about it either, but I'm doing it anyways. He's a little scary when he's pissed and if I rat him out about it, he'll definitely be pissed. Also, Penelope asked me, rather nicely too, not to. Did I mention she's cool?_

_She even talked to me a little about boys and dating after the twins and Percy ran off. I think most of the stuff went over my head, but she was nice about it and told me I would get it soon. What I did get was that being with someone you liked (boy or girl, she was very passionate about stressing this) made someone feel like they were the happiest person in the world. And Percy made her feel that way, so she asked if I could pretty please not tell anyone about what happened because if I told, things would get complicated between them. How could I say no to that? I'm not a monster._

_I hope I find someone that makes me feel like how Percy makes Penelope feel someday. She said I would eventually, but I'm not so sure…_

_Well, enough of the romance going on around here. Later Paperback._

* * *

March rolled in and the weather was warming up. It was in that time that Rhode decided to go see her buddy Bob, the giant squid living in Black Lake.

Currently garbed in only a dark blue one piece swimsuit with white accents, Rhode had a contemplative look on her face as she rubbed her chin and blew bubbles from her mouth as she floated in place somewhere on the lakebed.

She and Bob were engaged in a battle of wits and cunning.

Reaching her hand out, she picked up a black Checker piece and advanced forward, "King me." She grinned up at Bob.

Bob reluctantly did so with one of his giant tentacles.

"Your move." Rhode said in a smug tone.

Bob blew out some bubbles at that. Reaching out with a sucker, he picked out a red Kinged piece and danced it around the board…annihilating Rhode.

"Wait what?!" Rhode gaped, did she just get owned by a giant squid!

Bob blew more bubbles.

"Natural skill my booty! Seriously, what the heck Bob?" she frowned.

Bob just made a blub blub noise.

"Fine, I can concede to that." Rhode frowned, crossing her arms, "You're the King of Checkers." She begrudgingly admitted.

Bob bobbed his head, blowing more bubbles for a few seconds with a blub blub here and a blub blub there.

"…You are truly a wise and noble squid." Rhode awed at his heartfelt and cultured words. "You seriously need to write a book one of these days."

Bob just made a wishy-washy motion with a tentacle.

Rhode looked at her phone, checking the time. "Huh, seems I got to go Bob." She frowned up at him.

She got a tentacle hug, which she returned by patting the appendage back in kind, "See you next week?" she asked him, getting a nod. "Cool." She said and typed it into her phone calendar. She packed up the Checkerboard (using her powers to keep it dry like she had been doing the whole game) and swam up to the surface.

She whipped her damp hair around as she broke the surface and waded to the lip of the shore where her stuff was. She willed herself dry and placed the game box down. She put on her dress shirt, not bothering to button it, and slid her skirt and shoes on. She tied Thalia's jacket around her waist and donned her cloak. Grabbing her backpack and stuffing the game into it, she headed to the Room of Requirement.

As she walked across the lawn and through the castle's corridors to her destination, she noticed quite a few people staring and turning their heads to look at her as she passed. This was happening a lot lately. She'd figured they were admiring her looks, something she confirmed when she asked Penelope (who seemed to know her stuff about boys and girls and relationships and stuff) about it when she ran into her in the corridors some time ago. There was the pride that she got when the same thing happened back at Camp during Winter Break, but unlike during Break though, the attention in Hogwarts generally just left her irritable and even a tinge disrespected. What right did all these people have to gawk at her like this? Was she some kind of prize animal or statue on display? At least, everyone in camp seemed genuinely happy for her sake that she was looking good.

Frustrated with the looks, the demigoddess hurried through the school as fast as she could. When she finally entered the room, Rhode found Su reading a book on the quiet Sunday while Lee was reading the paper. The front article said: _Dwarves Work Union Laughed out of Court._ Seeing her friends happily relaxing, she let the tension that had built up from her walk drain away as she started up a conversation.

"Anything interesting in that?" Rhode asked, putting her bag down.

"Nope." Lee said in boredom, flipping the page. He glanced at her and said, "Nice look."

Rhode looked down at her swimsuit with a frown, feeling defensive, "What's wrong with it?"

"Nothing, just gives your fanboys thoughts." He snickered at her.

Rhode flustered at that, just then getting just how provocative her appearance was at the moment. "Shut up." she demanded. "I don't have fanboys." She tried to futilely deny.

"Then why did you get over twenty Valentines?" Su, peeking out from her book, innocently inquired.

"Uh…" Rhode struggled for an answer.

"Men love a bad girl," Lee explained in a faux cultured voice, "And our dearest Rhode Evans is the poster child for Bad Girl Supreme here at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

"Whatever," Rhode huffed and buttoned up her shirt hurriedly, and loosely put on her Gryffindor tie. _Damn it! Gotta be more careful about things like this if I don't want more magicals thinking I'm nothing more than something to leer at._

"Speaking of Valentine's Day," Su said with a frown and looked to Lee, thankfully also derailing Rhode from her increasingly unpleasant train of thought. "Did those rotten twins finally leave Percy alone?"

Lee nodded, "Yeah, after nearly getting him to lose his girlfriend, they backed off."

"That was just terrible of them." Su huffed, Penelope was a wonderful upperclassman to her. And she was also so happy with Percy. So with the twins always harassing them, Su couldn't help but be appalled.

"It was in good sport," Lee assured, "Besides, I think they're scared of Percy now that he went ballistic on them."

"I always thought Percy was a wimp to be honest," Rhode commented, "Guess he can be sort of a badass when he wants to be."

Lee blinked, "I can never get that image out of my mind now." He shook his head. Folding the paper and tossing it onto the table, he stood up, "So, ready?" he asked the daughter of Poseidon.

Rhode nodded. After the whole Duel Club fiasco, Lee agreed to help Rhode with her knife throwing skills.

Grabbing his knife pouch, Lee brought her to the target range they had. Straw dummies and target rings littered the small area. "Now," he said, demonstrating a throw, "These aren't like your dagger, but proper throwing blades." He explained and handed her one to try. "Be sure to embrace your inner ninja, like Naruto."

Rhode, fiddling with the knife in her hand just looked at him oddly, "Who?"

"…I got my work cut out for me." Lee sighed and looked forward, giving her some space and standing a bit behind her, "Now throw it and we'll work from there."

Rhode just nodded and tossed the knife, her training underway.

* * *

The last Saturday of March found Rhode in detention with Snape, where the Potions master had her doing a series of menial chores in his lab for the whole two hours she was there. Now as the time to leave drew near Rhode was facing forward, eyes narrowed. Her chair was annoying her to no end though. The thing was wobbly! Like one of the legs was shorter than the rest and the slightest movement caused the whole thing to rock. Yeah, it was annoying. Ugh, the wobble! Wait, she was getting distracted, focus!

"So, can I go?" she asked Snape, who was sitting behind his desk, fingers laced together on it. Idly she wondered whether his nose had grown bigger over Christmas? A thought which her ADHD naturally picked up on and led her to wonder how he dealt with nose goblins. Seriously, you'd need an industrial vacuum for it.

"No." He hissed out like some creature of the night…seriously, he was so a Batman fan. He even had the scowl! Just, not as good.

"Why?" She shot back, just to annoy him.

His beady black eyes narrowed. "Because we need to discuss your punishment for blowing up several cauldrons at once." He whispered coldly.

Rhode held up a finger in the air, "You have no way, shape, or form to prove I've done this." She leaned back in the wobbly chair, smirking.

"Whilst you went to take a break to the restroom, you passed each caldron that exploded." Snape stated sternly.

"Not my fault those students were all lacking in your class." Rhode deflected.

"Who were all Slytherin that you oh just so happen to have had altercations with?"

Rhode shrugged, "Like I said, not my problem they're lacking."

"Like your grades in my class, Potter." Snape said, baring his yellow teeth.

"Evans." Rhode said on reflex.

Snape just gave her a slow solid blink, as if not caring. Honestly, this was why no one liked him. He was such a dick.

 _You know what, screw it. If he's not going to even pretend to be a proper teacher, then there's no point giving him any respect at all._ Rhode thought to herself as the last dregs of her patience with the man before her ebbed.

"You are seriously a dick." She bluntly told the man, getting a mild stunned look at her blatant disrespect. So, she stuck the course, "I mean, you dress in black, try and glide like some vampire wannabe, and have all these pickled jars of…stuff. You live in a dungeon and just try to act scary. But you are not scary." She told the man, "Seriously, I've seen pimps when I was living on the streets that were scarier than you." She blurted out in her rambling insults.

Oh sure, Thalia tried to keep some of the seedier things they saw on the street hidden from her. But Rhode's young eyes had seen them, despite Thalia's best efforts. The daughter of Zeus was both skilled and determined, but she couldn't be with Rhode all the time. And in the admittedly brief times the girls were apart, Rhode had seen plenty of unpleasant things. By Hades, she'd been on the streets by herself for months before she met Thalia in the first place and had seen plenty then. Sure, she didn't understand much of what she saw back then, but as they say hindsight is twenty/twenty and as she grew older and came to understand more of the world, she quickly figured out what all those things really were.

Snape just paused at the last of her insults, looking at her strangely. Like for the first time in the two years she'd known him, she was a person to him or something. It was really, really weird. "Living on the streets?" he questioned quietly, "What do you mean by that, Potter?"

Rhode inwardly cursed at her Foot in Mouth Syndrome. She did the smart thing, she got up and stormed out. Like hell she was going to tell this guy her life story.

As she left, she missed Snape's narrowed eyes. Eyes that if she had noticed, were tinted by a strong sense of concern. Eyes that shone with a determination to get to the bottom of this and find out what Rhode had meant with her slip of a tongue. Eyes that for the first time saw the young witch as the daughter of his beloved friend Lily Evans rather than the spawn of his hated nemesis James Potter.

* * *

_April 2, 2003._

_Hey my celluloid (Nice big word! Cool eh? Su taught it to me.) friend,_

_I've noticed something really strange's been going on. And I mean seriously strange! Snape has been acting all funny towards me lately. He's stopped picking on me. Oh, sure, we still butted heads, like that time I gave both Crabbe and Goyle Super Swirlys. But overall, he was less of a massive dick, and just a dick now. It's all really, really freaky! Seriously, I can't think of why this is happening all of a sudden. It must be that the world is ending or something._

_I could talk about April's Fools and the Weasley twins' awesome prank for their birthday. But I'm really just too creeped out by whatever is happening with Snape to care. Maybe next time?_

_Till I'm not completely freaking out, adieu (Another cool word Su taught me!)._

* * *

It was mid-April now. The book of Voldedork was as evasive as always. Annoying the daughter of Poseidon who was biting at the bit to burn it and flush the ashes.

In fact, Rhode was going to go for another run of her book chasing until Su sat her down in the Room of Requirement.

She had let her homework for Chiron slip by due that blasted book.

Curse you education! Trying to keep us kids down!

Su was diligently scratching her pencil on her paper but paused shortly after with a frown, tapping the eraser on her lip, "Rhode, can I borrow your cellphone please? I need to use the calculator." Oh, that dastardly Pi symbol. Oh sure, you could use 3.14, but you'd never get an accurate answer unless you used a calculator and their saved value of Pi.

Silence was her answer as she turned towards her friend, "Rhode?" she asked but gave a weak smile at the sight before her. Rhode's face was buried in her papers, eyes shut and drool pooling down her chin as it smudged up her inked answers.

She leaned over to give the daughter of Poseidon a gentle nudge, "Rhode, oh Rhode. Mm." Su frowned. Honestly, when it came to math something like this always happened! What was wrong with numbers? She liked numbers, but to Rhode they were some sort of antithesis.

The daughter of Demeter gave another soft nudge and got a response in the form of a snore.

Su puffed up her cheeks adorably, chestnut eyes narrowed. Well, if being nice didn't work…

The crack of the whip echoed in the room.

Rhode woke up with a start and rolled out of her chair, her fists in the air, her head swiveling around, "Who? What? The British are coming! Man the lifeboats!" She proclaimed, drool on her chin with her long division inked on her cheek.

Wait, why did her bum sting?

Su was silent as she was hummed while working on her homework.

"What happened? Who attacked us?!" Rhode panicked.

Su regarded her, "Nothing, you just woke up. Must have been a dream."

Rubbing her butt, Rhode looked at Su suspiciously as the girl in question just gave that sweet innocent smile of hers. Oh, but Rhode knew something happened alright.

"Then why does my bum hurt?"

"Perhaps it cramped up from you sleeping on your homework."

Rhode gave a pout at that. Su really was a slave driver. She stood up and went to sit down when her phone started to buzz. Fishing it out of her pocket, Rhode looked at it.

Her mouth gaped, "It, it's-!" Rhode whipped her head to the door. The book, it was right outside the hallway. She made a mad dash to the door, victory, it was hers, finally! Blissful victory!

Until a vine latched onto her ankle, forcing her to fall face first.

"Su!" Rhode wailed, "Let me go! The book's right outside!"

"Oh no," Su gave her a glare, it just made her look like an adorable kitten trying to be mad, "I'm not falling for that again. This is the second, third... sixth time! I'm not falling for it this time." she declared indignantly and stomped her foot.

"But-! That, I, it-!" the beeping stopped and Rhode looked at her phone. The book had left.

It was like it was taunting her!

Books really were evil.

Rhode let out a whimper, she wanted to cry.

"Homework!"

"Damnit, Su!" Rhode shouted, upset at her friend costing her this golden opportunity to kill the frustrating horcrux. Standing up, she stalking over and slammed her phone on top of Su's homework and pointed to its screen which still clearly showed the soul anchor's last known location as being in the corridor just outside the Room of Requirements. "I told you it was right there!"

Su looked down at the phone and winced, guilt in her eyes. "I-Oh," she mustered, "Rhode, I'm sorry, it's just I thought you were trying to get out of your homework again." she confessed meekly.

Rhode took in a deep breath and then did it again, fighting desperately to calm down. It did no one any good for her to let her anger get the better of her and lash out at Su. It wasn't like she hadn't used the excuse of hunting down the book to get out of homework in the past like Su accused her of doing. "It's fine. Next time just…" The scion of the oceans took another deep inhale before continuing, "...not do something like that again. Got it?"

"I won't." Su said contritely.

"Good. Now I'm too upset to do any more homework, so I'm going for a swim." With that said, the daughter of Poseidon turned on her heel and stalked off not even waiting for her friend's soft reply of "Enjoy your swim."

* * *

_April 17, 2003._

_I had a fight with Su yesterday. She let her obsession with homework get in the way of me getting the horcrux! It was so close! And just because Su got overzealous, I missed my chance to kill it! It was so, so frustrating!_

_The whole thing left me so very pissed at Su. I honestly thought I was going to lose control and maybe do something to Su that I'd regret. But thank the gods I managed to control myself. It was the first time I think that I managed that. Hear that Chiron? I'm making progress!_

_Anyways, Su came to find me today and apologized for what happened. Honestly, by then I didn't blame her. Much. My Fatal Flaw makes it really, really hard not to blame everyone when something bad happens. It sucks, but I guess it wouldn't be called a Fatal Flaw if it didn't. Back to the make-up… err… that sounded… Nevermind! As I was saying! I accepted Su's apology and that was that. Su was seriously surprised by this, almost expecting me to explode and rail on her or something, and tried to keep apologizing. It took me a while to get her to stop but when she did, things were ok between us again._

_I think that's all I want to talk about this, so it's goodbye for now. Write to you again soon my paper friend._

* * *

Rhode skidded across the ground, her sneakers scraping rocks as she made a sharp turn before she broke out into a sprint to continue her pursuit of her elusive prey.

"Oh yeah, no way you're getting away!" Rhode grinned as she looked at her phone to check the horcrux's location once more.

Only a little more, just a little more. Then that damnable book was hers.

And then she could laugh over its ashes.

Inbound in five, four, three, two, one-!

"I've got you!" Rhode declared as she made a sharp left. Only to be dumbfounded by what she saw. Soon, that look was replaced with rage, "You!" she spat out.

It was that freaky elf thing from the summer, the one that got her shocked.

"Rhode Potter." He squeaked, cradling some black book, the diary most surely.

"Evans." Rhode corrected automatically.

"Rhode Potter in grave danger!" he squeaked.

Rhode was silent for a moment, her lips parted and a laugh came out. It wasn't joyous or sadistic. It was almost demented in a way.

"I'm in grave danger? No, you're wrong. I've been chasing that thing since September." She informed with another dark chuckle, her eye twitching dangerously. "So no, I'm not the one in grave danger here. You are. Now here's how this is going to go down," Rhode informed the house elf, "You hand that damned thing over to me, right now, or I rip off your tiny little head and mount it on my wall!" she thundered, stomping her foot and in her anger shook the ground a bit.

She wanted that book and she wanted it now! She wanted to roast marshmallows over it!

"Dobby cannot!"

"Dobby better!"

"Dobby cannot!"

"Dobby better!" Rhode shouted and slowly walked up to him in a menacing fashion, cracking her knuckles.

Dobby took a few steps back, retreating in the face of the furious half-blood.

"Elf! Do not make me go Willy Wonka on you and caramelize your insides! Because I will learn a spell on just how to do that!" she threatened.

At that moment, Rhode's phone rang with a funky techno beat. Growling, she picked it up, "What?!" she snapped over the line, giving Dobby the 'I'm watching you' gesture. "What? Do I want a subscription to Hephaestus TV? Okay, I've got to ask, do you always call at the most inconvenient times on purpose?" she just had to ask because it was seriously annoying right now, "No, no, I, well, I sort of do. I'm just dealing with a loose end right now. How about a call back, like, tomorrow or something?" she glared at Dobby as he tried to tiptoe away, giving him menacing eyes making the elf flinch and freeze on the spot.

"So, yeah, call back at like two PM, Scotland time. Sure, thank you. Have a nice day." Rhode hung up and pocketed the device, "What a friendly nymph." She smiled and then scowled at Dobby, "Now, back to you." She growled.

"Rhode Potter is in grave dang-"

"Killed it." Rhode said bluntly.

"W-What?"

"The 'grave danger'." Rhode air quoted, her face shifting to showcase her boredom, "I killed it. There's no danger anymore besides that book."

"But, but Dobby-!"

"Has been keeping Rhode from what Rhode was sent on a quest to do." Rhode informed, "So give Rhode the damn book so Rhode can burn it to Tartarus…and now I'm speaking in the third person!" The child of Poseidon cradled her face, damn this place. It was going to make her insane or something.

Dobby blinked his tennis ball sized eyes, "So, Dobby has…"

"Been interfering with me saving the day, yes." Rhode nodded.

"Oh, bad Dobby!" Dobby cried out and started to brain himself with the book.

Rhode didn't bother stopping him. He deserved it. Making her run around like a lunatic to chase the book? He just deserved it!

After about two minutes of beating his brains in, Dobby got dizzy, most likely from some brain damage (or at least she hoped so), and fell on his back, dropping the book.

As the elf lay disoriented on the ground Rhode vented her anger towards him by kicking him down the hallway. She then turned her attention to the book which she kicked to the side, as she eagerly drew her dagger.

Surprisingly, stabbing something had never felt so good. So much so, she did it repeatedly. Each stab elicited screams and ink in lieu of blood but she paid them no mind as she cackled in victory. In her vengeful mood, it was almost music to her ears. After stabbing it for about thirty times, it finally stopped screaming.

Rhode stood up and drew her wand, "Time for the finale, Incendio!" she cried out, lighting it ablaze.

And she watched it burn like Jimi Hendrix would burn his guitars: with a smile on her face.

Thus, April had finally ended.

* * *

The rest of the year zoomed on by. Finals came but through Su's (torturous) tutoring, Rhode had survived it once more. It was honestly the most peaceful month in the entire school year. Oh sure, Rhode still got lots of detentions and was elusive as always for those nastier Prefects but Rhode finally got her after exam nap, with no ominous dreams thankfully.

People were still edgy about the Heir of Slytherin, but since no more attacks happened since that distant October, people assumed that the incident was over. That guy, whose name escaped her, said he had handled the situation. Which pissed her off.

Taking credit for the demigods' hard work? Rhode made the water in his drinking goblet explode all over him as he made his feat stealing declaration in the Great Hall as payback.

Lee outright pranked the guy. He did so not with the mischievous but ultimately lighthearted smile that he and his siblings were known for, but with a malicious grin that expressed just how much the blond fool irked him. Which was a lot. From the day of the prank forth the man couldn't look at a doorknob without fear. It was funny to watch. They would somehow transfigure into a small snake and start singing Bohemian Rhapsody and try to bite him when he went to open the door. He started using magic to open every door he had to. The whole thing left the daughter of Poseidon and half the castle in stitches for ages.

Even Su, the ever calm and sweet girl, was also rather cross from his words and had been working on something to get back at him. Rhode figured it would be some kind of fungal based itching powder. She was proud Su was showing her bad side. Every good girl needs to show some bad.

The end of May arrived along with the farewell feast. It was good and filling as always, the Hufflepuffs managed to score the cup this year. Those hard working badgers deserved it.

It was as the cheering for the Hufflepuff victory died down at last, it had carried on for a whole ten minutes, that the doors of the Great Hall dramatically swung open.

It was Mr. Li with two other Aurors flanking him.

"Aurors, what may I do for you?" Dumbledore said as he rose from his excessively ornamental throne to greet the unexpected arrivals.

"We're here to arrest a dangerous criminal, Headmaster." Mr. Li, the obvious leader of the trio, replied.

This statement immediately caused a massive uproar amongst the gathered students and staff as it seemed everyone begun floating theories on who was getting arrested.

"Silence!" Dumbledore shouted, as he fired off a cannon blast to restore order. He turned to Mr. Li before continuing, "Sir, know that we will assist of course. May we have the name of perpetrator?"

Mr. Li was silent and walked up to the staff table, standing before that blond guy.

The blonde fool smiled at this and proclaimed, "Ah! Of course I will help catch this notorious fiend!"

Mr. Li blinked, "You are this 'Notorious Fiend', Mr. Lockhart." he said dryly.

The Great Hall was silent at this, except for Rhode who burst into laughter. Lee soon joined her, falling off his seat.

"P-Pardon?" Lockhart asked, his face paling.

"You see a couple of weeks ago my daughter contacted me about something she noticed in your books Mr. Lockhart." Mr. Li said, his voice echoing across the Hall. "You see, she spotted some similarities between some of the incidents you purportedly were involved in and some cases that I talked to her about in the past. That and your work was filled with more conflicting dates and locations than the lying testimony of the most incompetent criminals I've ever known. I thought nothing of it at first, and just investigated to humor her. But to my horror, she was right!"

"S-Surely s-she must be c-confused." Lockhart ferreted out, "She's o-only a child after all."

"Oh, no." Mr. Li shook his head, his black eyes stern like a hawk, "We've crossed checked her findings ourselves."

Lockhart's blond hair was flopping back and forth wildly as the rest of him shook like a leaf in a typhoon.

"Now this had me curious, what were you doing lying in your books." Mr. Li continued his damning accounting of Lockhart's misdeeds. "So I followed up with those old cases we found you referencing. I hoped at first that the people involved had just sold you the rights to their stories or some such. To my horror though what had happened was far worse. You had taken their stories alright, but not before you memory charmed them into forgetting what they'd done. Brave men and women, stripped of their greatest accomplishments, all so you could profit at their expense."

"So….so you're arresting…. me… me for that?" Lockhart stuttered out.

"Again I wish that was all." Mr. Li said this time with a clearly pained voice. "But reality is a far harsher place than that. You see Mr. Lockhart, of the dozen or so victims of yours we've tracked down so far, two are dead due to direct complications from your overpowered memory charms. They were old and infirm and your charm pushed their brains beyond their limits and they died of strokes. Another three were left vegetables and the remainder all suffer serious mental disabilities now thanks to you. All of which are incurable."

The students let out startled gasps at this news, looking at Lockhart with horror and disgust. The human monster just paled and gulped in terror as he realized what was coming next.

"So Mr. Lockhart," Mr. Li said as he continued. "I'm here today to arrest you for multiple counts of murder. And a whole host of serious crimes. Will you come quietly?"

The criminal was panicked and did the only thing he could do. He drew his wand, fumbling as he did so.

Mr. Li was quicker, striking with the speed of an assassin and he cast his spell even before Lockhart's wand was anywhere near a proper casting position. " _Incarcerous!"_ At this incantation, thick ropes appeared out of thin air, tying Lockhart's body up tightly with a rabbit eared bow on his head, like a present.

With the criminal now secure, Mr. Li turned to Dumbledore and said calmly, "Headmaster, our business here is concluded. Have a good day." With that he and his comrades, now flanking Lockhart and guiding his steps, left the Great Hall.

As they did, the Hall once again descended into bedlam as everyone fought over each other to talk to their friends about what had just happened. In the midst of this chaos though Rhode managed to spot Su and noticed the daughter of agriculture smiling, looking rather proud of herself.

Rhode let out a whistle. Su had set all that up? She was scary. Rhode thanked the gods that the girl was on her side.

* * *

The train ride was as boring as usual, and Rhode napped to pass the time so she wouldn't go stir crazy from her ADHD. Su was taking one last glance at their homework as usual. It was just their standard return to camp routine.

Arriving at Camp Half-Blood, Rhode was greeted by another excited tackle-hug from Annabeth. The young child of Athena exclaimed at top speed before Rhode could recover enough to utter a word, "Rhode! You're home! Oh wow! Your hair is so long! And it makes you so pretty! Oh! Welcome home!" she hugged her older friend tighter.

"I think you might be getting too big for those, Bethy." Rhode wheezed out from the gut check.

"Nuh-uh." Annabeth argued with a shake of her head, "I'll always hug you when you come back." She declared cheerfully.

"Lucky me." Rhode chuckled lightly.

"So, a basilisk?" Luke asked as he grabbed her trunk, carrying it by himself this time. He had gotten taller over the year, like almost six feet tall and buffer too.

"Dude, that thing was not the size of a grown man's arm. It was, like, three hundred feet long!" she complained to her older friend, "Seriously, magicals are messed up."

"But you killed it, right?" Annabeth asked as she said hello to Hedwig, who hooted back and gently nipped her finger.

"Oh yeah." Rhode grinned, she had to admit, it was an epic fight. She turned towards Annabeth, a serious look on her face, "But, do you want to know what I learned this year?"

Annabeth nibbled her lip, "What?" she asked, wondering if she was going to hear some life changing lesson that would affect the rest of her young existence.

"Books are evil." Rhode said firmly and continued towards her cabin.

Annabeth knitted her brow with a pout, "I don't get it." She said in confusion as Hedwig hooted.

Rhode could be so silly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey hey hey~!
> 
> Hope you liked the end of year two guys!
> 
> Thanks Nameless and Sieg as always.
> 
> Despite being only roughly 10,000 words, it still feels short for my usual stuff, huh? Oh well, can't always get big chapters all the time. Hope you guys understand, chapter 12 just got so much more.
> 
> Sieg: Well I suppose it's mainly because most of the other chapters have exciting and important stuff like the basilisk fight and this one just...doesn't.
> 
> So we decided to experiment with a different POVs to start things off. Since 1) Having Rhode's POV during her V-Day aggravation would be boring since she would rant how stupid it was and how annoying the dwarves were. So, we decided to change it to our favorite twins and see how some people think of Rhode. You like, yes?
> 
> Sieg: Toilet-Princess...does that make Percy the Toilet-Prince?
> 
> Nameless2210: We know the climax with the book was somewhat anti-climatic. Something possibly true for the whole chapter. But not all scenes and chapters need or should be filled with action. Both that scene and the chapter as a whole has plenty of important plot and character development, which was what we were aiming for. We hope you enjoyed it nevertheless even without all the action. As a little game, perhaps you could try identifying some of the key points we raised in this chapter (they are pretty obvious, imho at least) and leave them in a review? It'll help us know if we're doing a good job conveying what we want to, thus improving the quality of the story. So please help us out!
> 
> Sieg: In all seriousness, no matter how captivating or well-written a story is, if the readers fail to grasp the key points the writer attempted to push through to them the he's failed as a writer. So just help us out a little and let us know we're doing something right or wrong depending if you guys noticed the important stuff. Besides, knowing the readers understand and like their work is always a confidence booster for a writer.
> 
> Next time: Rhode has another summer of training, who knows what will happen?!


	14. Third Summer: I Get a Relaxing Summer, Sorta

**Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson or Harry Potter.**

**The Unrelenting Frozen Seas: The Journey**

**Third Summer: I Get a Relaxing Summer, Sorta**

**Beta: Siegfried01**

* * *

As the clouds glided gently across the pale blue sky as they followed the soft summer winds, the sun glittered down like a smiling deity upon Camp Half-Blood as its inhabitants trained and made merry. A certain daughter of Poseidon was no exception as she was currently panting, her camp shirt damp with sweat as she spun the staff in her hands and went for a piercing strike with the blunt weapon.

The strike was parried and her opponent swung at her feet, forcing Rhode to hop back. Planting her feet firmly in the ground, she pushed forward with another stabbing strike which was blocked and followed up with a swing to hit her taller opponent. To her frustration, it was blocked once more.

Her opponent let loose a flurry of swings that forced Rhode on the defensive and just as she thought it was over, her opponent went for a stabbing strike, forcing Rhode to deflect it to the side.

She moved in to capitalize on her opponent having her weapon out of position with a sweep, but her attack was thwarted when it was quickly blocked via a downward strike which snapped her staff in half.

_Man, recovering from a deflection that quickly? This guy could move fast!_

Rhode made some distance as she flipped the broken pieces around and adjusted her grip with the intention to use them as batons. Having re-armed, she attacked fast and hard.

Her opponent skillfully spun his staff, blocking her strikes and disarmed her of one baton and before she knew it, the other one flew from her hand as well. He followed this up with a sweep, knocking her off her feet.

Rhode grunted and went to get up, but the tip of her opponent's staff kept her flat on her back, "You are brutal." The daughter of the sea groaned, letting her head rest in the soft grass, its blades tickling the back of her neck.

"Sometimes that is the best way to teach." Chiron smiled down at her. He was in an orange Camp Half-Blood tank top, showing off arms that would make most men jealous, and that if he punched someone with would knock the poor fool out just as hard as if he mule kicked his victim with his rear legs.

Rhode just groaned at that.

"Now now," Chiron said, "We're still on the clock." He said, trotting over to grab a spare staff. He was always prepared after all, "But still, excellent improvising with what you had at your disposal." He said in regards to her baton work.

"Thanks," Rhode grunted and rolled over to get up and held out her hand, catching the new staff that Chiron tossed her way. Spinning it once, Rhode fell into her stance. "Let's go!" she proclaimed and charged.

Chiron smirked and accepted her challenge.

After another twenty minutes of sparring, Rhode fell back onto the grass with a sigh, "Okay, that was insane." She breathed out in a pant and accepted the water bottle Chiron gave her, "You are crazy good at this."

"Well, I've had a few centuries of practice." Chiron commented jovially as he rested his horse legs, sipping some water from a flask. "Still, you are getting better." He encouraged.

"I hope so." Rhode sighed. "Still, why does my trident have to be so many different types of weapons in one? I mean, I got the thrusting aspect from all my time using a spear on the streets, but trying to grasp the other parts are hard." From what Rhode gathered, it was a polearm with many different uses such as thrusting, slashing, swiping, hooking, parrying, and scything. It was like the Swiss Army knife of polearms.

"Well, in truth your spear could have served many more functions than as a simple thrusting weapon. That you failed to do so is no fault of the weapon. Or your own either. A great deal of skill is needed to handle polearms, their versatility and ease of use once mastered allows them to be used to serve the appropriate role for a whole host of combat situations." Said Chiron in a lecturing tone, "That is why I am training you with a simple staff. Mastering it will improve your overall control and allow us to progressively work up from there to more complex polearms."

Still, the centaur couldn't help but inwardly praise Rhode's talent with polearms. He knew she would no doubt master it in time.

Rhode leaned up, her long jet black hair swaying as she nodded in understanding. She took another swig of water and asked, "So, got any stories?"

"Several dozen," Chiron chimed with a smirk at her random question, "but what specifically are you looking for?"

"What were some of the heroes like back in the old days?" Rhode asked him honestly, "And I don't mean their deeds and everything, just, what were they like as people?"

Chiron had a mirthful smile on his face, "Oh by Olympus, you would not believe half the things I could mention." He outright laughed.

She had an eager look on her face, "Try me." She dared.

"Well, for one thing, if Achilles didn't have his invulnerability as a child, let's just say he'd have been known as Achilles the No Fingers."

Rhode blinked and laughed at that, "No way?"

"Yes way," Chiron pointed at her, "It was after that I started the training of my youngest Heroes with staffs first instead of spears. I must say he was a wonderful test dummy half the time though." He said with a fond look on his face, like he could recite the memory action by action, word for word. "Or the time when Phoenix lost his sight and Peleus brought him to me. While I was mixing the ingredients the poor lad sat right down on a spearhead!"

Rhode fell back in laughter, "Oh gods, I mean, they always come off as so brave and bold in the stories-"

"But they were just as human as you and the campers here." His eye twinkled, "Just as rambunctious too."

"I think we're louder." Rhode smirked at him.

"True, but you've never had to go to parties with them. Trust me when I say that parties back then were far wilder than today."

"Bet Mr. D hates that." Rhode snorted as she drank more of her water bottle.

"Well, if his whining is any indication..." Chiron chortled.

Rhode, finally getting her giggles under control, said in a soft tone, "Man…I wonder if I could ever be as amazing as them." She mused. While she just mainly wanted to survive past eighteen, she could see the grandeur of that kind of life. That of a great hero.

"I have no doubt you will." Chiron said, his smile conveying that he believed that wholly and truly. It made a smile form on her own face. Dang, Chiron really was the best teacher she could ever ask for.

"Still," Rhode said in a sly tone, "I would be pretty awesome if I got my hands on a cool sword."

"You're still not getting Riptide."

Rhode just clicked her tongue and pouted at that.

Laughing softly at her look, Chiron cleared his throat, "Now, I have a question for you."

"…Oh gods, you're not going to give me a test, are you?" Rhode said, horrified. It was summer! There shouldn't be any tests!

Chiron warded off her concern with an amused chuckle, "No no, nothing like that." He assured, getting a sigh of relief from Rhode. "What I want to ask is: Have you been keeping up with the diary I gave you?"

"Journal." Rhode corrected. "And yes I have."

"Ah, journal. Yes." Chiron nodded solemnly, but his quirked lip betrayed him, "But that is good. Was it helpful to you to jot down your feelings? If nothing else, it must have been quite a refreshing experience, no?"

Rhode gave a soft smile to that, "It was...nice. I just wrote down the stuff that pissed me off or just annoyed me, and somehow, it was like it wasn't that much of a big deal after rereading it. It was like I could vent my anger, but not use a punching bag for it." she laughed a little.

"So do you intend to continue writing in your journal?" The centaur asked with a content look on his face, one that expressed his happiness at having found a way to help one of his students.

"Sure." Rhode affirmed. "Like I said, it's been a big help."

Looking at his watch and apparently seeing that he still had some time, the trainer of heroes decided to continue their little chat. "On another note, there has been something that I have been wanting to ask you Rhode. What do you feel is the best power you have?" he asked curiously.

Rhode knitted her brow for a second. She wondered if that was supposed to be a trick question, but waved that thought off and answered honestly, "My water boost. I mean, I get stronger, faster, and my senses just go to the next level with that one." She said as if it was a no brainer.

Chiron shook his head with a chuckle, making Rhode frown. Did she say something wrong?

"Ah, every time I taught one of Lord Poseidon's children, they always say that." He smiled down at her, "What is truly your most special gift, at least in my opinion, is your healing ability."

Rhode danced the idea in her mind and nodded, "That's what you think. But you said what _I_ think is my best power." She noted.

Chiron nodded, "I indeed said that. But, have you ever wondered about your healing?"

Rhode gave an honest shrug, "Not really, I mean, splash water on me and I heal. Never really bothered with the why." Rhode was after all a firm believer in the saying: If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

"Did you know that you yourself are not the only one that can be affected by your healing powers?"

Rhode blinked and tilted her head in confusion, "What?"

Chiron smiled, "Much like a child of Apollo, you yourself can heal others with water as a medium much as they do so by singing a hymn to Apollo."

The daughter of Poseidon just looked surprised at this revelation, "I can heal people…" she trailed off. Rhode's heart couldn't help but twist at that. She remembered all the times that her family got hurt, where Rhode was patched up in minutes through the use of water. But Thalia and the others weren't that lucky, they had to walk off an injury or get some ambrosia or nectar.

But it turned out that she could actually heal other people. A frown came to her face, "I can't believe I didn't notice." Her voice now barely a whisper as she realized how utterly badly she'd failed her family in the past.

Chiron, seeing this, gave her a comforting pat on the shoulder even as he questioned as delicately as he could, "Did you not know?"

"No." Rhode replied, sounding miserable. "And because of that… Thalia, Luke, Annabeth… they all had to… By the gods, I'm useless…" The daughter of Poseidon stated in stunned sadness.

Chiron wrapped her in a half-hug then giving her a comforting look as he said, "That was not your fault Rhode. You did not know." Rhode started to object, but the ancient centaur preempted her. "That talent isn't something easy to spot, much less learn to use. Self-healing is passive, but healing others? That is a skill that is difficult at best to notice one has, much less actively use. There's no way you would have known."

Rhode wanted to protest. To continue arguing that it was her fault for being so stupid she didn't even notice a whole aspect of her own powers. But she stopped herself. That was just her being silly. If there was one thing she'd learned since she arrived at camp, it was that being silly was dangerous. It was being silly that caused her to run away from her anger problems rather than confront them and learn to control it. It was her silliness that had her so fearful of her dad's feelings towards her, even in the face of his love. She wasn't going to be silly again!

With a deep breath and wiping a stray tear that built up, Rhode looked Chiron in the eye, "So what do I have to do? I mean, how do I heal someone?"

"Ah," the centaur blinked in clear surprise at Rhode's quick recovery, "Are you alright, Rhode?"

"I am." Rhode replied confidently. "I was stupid as a kid to not know about this healing thing, but that just means I gotta make up for lost time and make the most of it now. So how do I use it?"

Chiron looked at Rhode searchingly for a moment, trying to confirm that she had calmed down. Satisfied after a few minutes he answered Rhode's question, "That is where training comes in." he said and stood up, "Perhaps a trip to the infirmary to start?" he suggested.

Rhode shot up to her feet, "Now? Sure." She agreed and pocketed her water bottle. Chiron nodded as he picked up their staffs as they headed to the Big House. He leaned them against the building as they entered the infirmary.

They saw Atlanta talking to a new kid with blond hair and blue eyes. She looked over his shoulder and waved to the centaur, "How's it going Chiron?" she asked.

Chiron just smiled at her, "Excellent my dear. Ah, Lee, enjoying yourself?" he asked the new camper.

"Big time." Lee nodded and looked at Rhode. He gave her a friendly bright smile, "Hi! Name's Lee Fletcher. I'm new here." He said.

Rhode looked at him, he couldn't be older than eleven. Still, another Lee? That was going to get confusing. She took his hand, giving it a firm shake, not noticing his minor wince, "Rhode Evans. I'm going to guess Apollo?" She smirked, taking her hand back.

Shaking his own a bit, Lee nodded, "Yeah…wait, you're that girl right? The daughter of Poseidon?" he asked.

Rhode shrugged, "Pretty much."

Lee leaned towards Atlanta, "I thought she was like ten feet tall and breathed fire?" he whispered.

At Rhode's clueless look to their covert conversation, Atlanta covered her mouth to giggle, "Don't believe everything you hear. Rhode's a good girl. Just a little hotheaded."

Lee nodded.

"Yes, well," Chiron cleared his throat, trying to hide his amusement at the young boy's statement, "I was just about to show Rhode how she could heal with her powers."

Atlanta looked at Rhode in surprise, "She can do that?"

"With water, yes." The centaur answered.

"I've always wondered about her healing power." The redheaded daughter of Apollo informed. Seriously, Rhode almost never came to the infirmary, unless Fergus beat the tar out of her. Then the daughter of Poseidon needed some extra help. Even then just a nibble of ambrosia, or a sip of nectar and a bucket of water over her head and Rhode went away feeling more refreshed than before she started her training.

"Well, you will see firsthand, after some training of course." Chiron looked at the son of Apollo, "Lee, would you like to join us?" he asked, getting an eager nod from the boy, "Wonderful."

"I warned you two not to take it too far." The voice of Luke scolded as he came into the infirmary with two campers from his cabin.

"Sorry Luke." The kids drawled out. The two younger campers had some wounds on them, but nothing major.

"Just get checked up." Luke told them as they did so. With a sigh, the blond said, "I can't believe Lee stuck me with this. He knows the summers are the toughest for a counselor."

"Hey Luke," Rhode waved at him, getting his attention. Lee had stepped down as head counselor of Cabin Eleven since he had to study for his O.W.L. -or whatever it was. His mom told if he didn't get good marks, she'd make his life a living hell. So, in order to study over the summer, much to his manly tears, Lee stepped down and dumped the job onto Luke. Rhode couldn't help but feel sorry for him since Cabin Eleven had to deal with a rush of new unclaimed kids this year. Luke had already been the Year-Round counselor, now it was literally all year.

"Sup Rhode," he told her, walking up to the group, "What's going on?"

"Frank, Julian, come here please." Chiron said to the two boys Luke brought in, "You two are perfect." He smiled down at them.

The boys looked each other with nervous looks, "For what?" Frank asked.

"For Lee and Rhode to use as their first patients." Chiron informed them.

"…Isn't Evans's healing method punching it into pieces?" Julian asked cautiously.

"I am not that bad! Right?" Rhode asked. Everyone avoided her gaze. With a broody pout, she crossed her arms, "You guys suck."

Chiron cleared his throat, "Anyway, please lay down. Atlanta, assist Lee. I will aid Rhode."

"Well," Luke smiled and clapped the two unclaimed boys on the shoulders, "Good luck." He said and walked away, "Have fun!"

Julian and Frank played a quickly game of Rock-Paper-Scissors. Frank cursed under his breath at losing as he trekked over to Rhode, his head hanging as if heading for the chopping block. Julian looked quite proud as he went to Lee.

"Now Rhode, take out that water bottle from before, that should hold enough water for this." Chiron instructed as Frank got on the bed.

Rhode nodded and summoned the water into her hands and followed Chiron's instructions to the letter.

* * *

It had been a few days since her first water healing lesson and Rhode had made it a part of her schedule to dedicate at least a half an hour a day to help out at the infirmary. She couldn't heal as fast as the kids of Cabin Seven, not yet anyway, and it was definitely challenging, but Rhode was determined to master this skill. Who knew how beneficial it could be down the road? Plus, she wanted to be able to help around the camp besides be one of the main teachers during the pegasi lessons.

It was time for Capture the Flag too, and it was Poseidon versus Athena cabin.

It was an ominous situation.

Naturally, Rhode was scurrying for allies. She already got Cabins Eleven and Four thankfully. Now she was heading to the forge.

Normally, she would have went to ask Atlanta. But the head of Cabin Seven was on the summer quest. A extra prestigious solo one. She had to hunt, and not kill, her Aunt Artemis's stag, the Ceryneian Hind. Apparently her dad got her the green light to go for it and not get changed into a newt by the moon goddess.

The weirdest thing was Fergus making a big show of her departure by giving her a passionate kiss. They'd been going out for a few months it seemed before the summer. She was still mildly grossed out by their kissing, not that they were kissing at all per se, but that they seemed to do it all the damn time! And flirt too. She'd only just learnt, from listening in to the chat between other campers, what that was and had been mildly intrigued at first but after seeing so much of it between the admittedly happy couple Rhode couldn't help but be uncomfortable every time they did so. She hoped when it came time for her to date, that she didn't become like that.

Entering the forge, Rhode shouted over the banging of hammers and hot metal hissing in water, "Hey, Gaige!"

"Yo, Rhode." Beckendorf said, walking over to her as he cleaned some oil off his hands with a battered rag. The two were pretty okay friends, despite the incident with her setting his hair on fire the previous summer. Luckily, he didn't hold it against her. He was cool like that.

"Sup Chucky."

"…It's Beckendorf."

Rhode shrugged with a grin, "Blame Gaige."

Chuck slumped at that, "I know." He shook his head, his short hair tied and kept out of the way under a red bandana, "What do you need, Rhode?"

"Gaige. Need to negotiate with her for support during the CTF match." Rhode explained, looking around for the maniacal daughter of the smith god.

"She's in her 'laboratory'." Chuck finger quoted.

"And that is…?"

Chuck tilted his head in a motion to follow him and went to an area marked by a sign that read 'Gaige's Area, Stay Out!' and tapped the stone floor twice, a trap door opening, "Ta-da." He dryly presented.

"She really is an evil genius." The daughter of Poseidon commented, looking at the ladder.

"I know, I live with her." Chuck sighed heavily, hanging his head.

Rhode just gave him a sympathetic pat on the shoulder. "Well, here I go." She said, climbing down.

"Try not to die." Chuck waved at her.

Rhode looked up, blinking in confusion, "What?"

"Nothing." Chuck said very quickly.

Rhode shrugged and slid down the ladder and touched a stone floor. She looked at the well lit hallway and walked down it until she was before a large metal door that had a red light that almost looked like an eye. Suddenly a red light scanned her, making Rhode take a step back in caution.

 **State your name and business. Then you will be terminated.** A male mechanical voice demanded as two turrets came out of the walls, a five barreled Gatling gun with a targeting laser mounted on each, trained on Rhode.

"Wait, don't you mean _or_?" Rhode said, edging back as she lifted her shield carrying wrist.

The two turrets just made a cocking noise and started to slowly rotate.

"Rhode Evans!" she squeaked out, "I need to speak to Gaige, don't shoot me!"

" **Rhode?"** Gaige's voice asked a second later with heavy metal playing in the background.

"Yes! Gaige, get the guns off me! Now!" she demanded.

" **Oh! Sure. Sorry about that, the program's a bit trigger happy. Give me a sec."**

"I wonder why?" Rhode muttered as the turrets retreated into the walls and the steel door groaned and parted into the walls.

"Welcome, to my secret laboratory!" Gaige greeted with a cackle.

"Not much of a secret if I can see it." Rhode commented as she walked in, hands in her pockets.

"Oh I'll just go MIB on you later." The Mechromancer muttered.

Rhode turned around, "What?" she asked with a squinted look.

"Nothing!" Gaige chirped as she guided Rhode in. As the younger girl walked in she saw multiple partly assembled robots, like Deathtrap. In the far corner was a battered up cot, like it was used all the time. All around there were dozens of different saws, drills, and plenty of other equipment that Rhode couldn't even name. Scattered machinery parts were also all over the place though most of them seemed to have been stuffed into a number of unorganized bins. There was also incongruously to the state of the rest of the room, a cozy corner that had a big comfy reclining chair with a TV in front of it with game systems of every variety. Between the TV and couch was a coffee table with pizza boxes on it and a couple of old mugs. There was a stack of magazines next to the chair, of what, Rhode didn't know. There was even a bathroom and a small kitchenette equipped with heavily modified kitchen appliances. All in all, except for the cozy corner, the whole thing would have easily passed for a mad scientist's lab. Which all things considered was fitting.

Rhode whistled, "Wicked pad."

"Thanks. Now, what can I do for you?" the mechanic girl asked her young friend.

"The CTF match." Rhode said, Gaige already dawning a knowing look.

"Ah, a team up?"

Rhode nodded.

Gaige rubbed her chin, "What's in it for me?"

"Uuh," Rhode knitted her brow in thought. Her eyes wandered thanks to her ADHD, trying to think up an idea to entice Gaige. Gods, she desperately needed Gaige to agree! Otherwise it would be bad since she was up against the A-Team. All the cabins with A-named parent had joined Athena cabin. Yes, even Ares. Stupid Fergus. She thought they were tight!

It was then something caught her eye. There on an operating table was a completed robot, a human shaped one no bigger than herself. Judging by the shape it was female in design and was made of gold.

"What is that?" Rhode asked, distracted by whatever Gaige's crazy mind had made this time.

"Huh?" Gaige blinked and looked at where Rhode was looking, "Oh, Penny you mean."

"Penny?" the daughter of Poseidon raised her brow.

"Yeah," Gaige nodded, her pigtails bouncing, "You know how my dad has attendants and stuff? They're women made of gold that can think and just brimmed with life. Well, I was really bored over the school year since I had made most of my latest designs by then." She bragged, "So, I prayed to him to give me a challenge…and whoa boy did he!" the older girl groaned, "I mean, it took me almost two days to make even the tiniest of parts since it was so intricate." She complained.

Rhode saw her hands wandering, taking parts off the work table and building them as she talked, "I swear, the micro designing was a killer! I could only have a margin of error by point zero two percent! That's not easy!" she said and looked down at the thing she had made, "Oops." Gaige laughed, wiggling her fingers in front of her, "Idle hands, I swear they have minds of their own." She picked up the object, studying it while rubbing her chin, "Huh, wonder what it is?" she said and tossed it again into a half empty bin that read: Idle Hands Bin.

"So, does it, er, _she_ work?" Rhode corrected.

Gaige slumped against the work table. "She won't wake up! I mean, I have her power core set, she's been charged. I even waxed her, with two coats! Nothing!" the orange haired girl whined.

"Have you told her it was morning?" Rhode offered a simple suggestion.

Gaige snorted, "Oh please. Rhode, I understand this might go a bit over your head, but no way if I say: Hey, Penny, it's morning. Time to wake up! Is going to work." she crossed her arms.

On the operating table, Penny's golden lids opened to show bright green eyes. She rose from the table and turned to the girls, waving at them, "Salutations!" she greeted in an upbeat chipper tone.

Gaige's jaw dropped.

Rhode felt smug as she looked at the older girl with a grin, "You were saying?"

Gaige got up and pulled the daughter of Poseidon into a hug, "Rhode! You're a genius! Oh I could kiss you!"

"Please don't," Rhode wheezed out, wide eyed from the strength of the hug, "Also, get out of my personal space."

"Right," Gaige released her with an apologetic smile, "Sorry." She looked at Penny, rushing over to her, "Yes, you're awake! Yay! Gaige Glenanne, you've done it again!" she cheered, hugging Penny.

The robot tilted her head, "What is this?"

"A hug." Gaige answered instantly.

"I see." Penny nodded.

Rhode walked over to them, "So what now? She's not going to go Deathtrap on us, right?" she asked with some concern, Deathtrap was a killing machine after all; and boy did it kill, she was still terrified after what it did to that poor straw test dummy.

There wasn't even ashes left!

Gaige waved off her concern in a heartbeat, "No way, DT's programed for death and carnage. Penny here on the other hand is life, legit A.I. life." The older girl said with awe, wiping a tear from her eye as she marveled at Penny who was looking around the laboratory like a curious child.

"So, about the CTF match…" Rhode trailed off.

Gaige nodded, "Yeah, sure, we team up. In thanks for your help with Penny. I mean, I would have figured it out eventually, but you just sped up the process." She said, her pride talking, "I'll see you at dinner."

"Sure." Rhode nodded and moved to head out.

"Oh, just stand over there," Gaige pointed to the far corner, "It's the expressway."

Rhode looked at the corner and shrugged, stepping over to it.

Gaige moved to a lever and grinned, "Say bye to Rhode, Penny."

"Goodbye Rhode." Penny waved cheerfully.

"What?"

Gaige let out a cackle and pulled the lever. A large vacuum tube came out of the ceiling and started sucking in air.

"AH!" Rhode screamed as she was sucked right into it.

"I love doing that!" Gaige laughed, wiping a tear from her eye.

Penny just cocked her head to the side and blinked curiously.

Rhode screamed as the ground in front of the forge split open and she was shot out of a cannon that popped out of the hole that sent her soaring ten feet into the air.

Landing in a heap, there was only one thing to say, "Ow."

* * *

"So, what are our chances here?" Gaige asked as she and Rhode stood in the middle of Blue Team territory, causing a ruckus to let their flag runners loop around for the Athena flag.

"Pretty good," Rhode said as she adjusted her red headband. She tightened her grip around Spellbound before continuing her assessment of the match, "So long as we take out the big players, we should stand a chance."

"Am I a big player?" a Scottish voice asked.

The girls turned around to see Fergus and Emily with their weapons out. Fergus had his celestial bronze gauntlets out, menacing looking as always, but it was Emily's weapon that made Rhode ponder for a moment. It looked like some six inch dark red tube with a three pronged downward curved celestial bronze hook on top.

"Hi Rhode, GG," Emily gave a cheerful wave, wearing pink armor that made her look like Guerilla Warfare Barbie.

"Oh, hey, Emily," Gaige said, absentmindedly flattening her skirt. "And you two I like G Two." she mumbled, getting her friend to giggle.

"What's that she's holding?" the daughter of Poseidon asked.

"The C-Nine whip." Gaige grimaced, raising her war hammer of doom a bit.

"The what?" Rhode asked, widening her feet a bit, eying the smiling daughter of Aphrodite wearily.

"The C-Nine whip, the Cabin Nine Whip, or just the Hephaestus Whip." Gaige rushed out, "I made it. It's like a grappling hook and whip all at once. The whip's made from tightly compacted threads of celestial bronze and can cut through solid stone."

"She any good with it?" Rhode asked, not liking whips all of a sudden.

"She's the strongest fighter in Cabin Ten." The daughter of Hephaestus told her in a serious tone.

"Right." Fergus nodded, flexing his metal clad fingers, "Busts some of my sibs around when she practices."

"Well I don't go looking to hurt people." Emily assured kindly.

"…And she's so nice about it. Freaking scary." The son of war shivered.

"Alright, enough talk!" Gaige cried out, charging at Fergus, hammer in the air, "Time for some Whack A Mole!"

"Why do I have to fight the crazy one?" Fergus asked himself and rolled out of the way of a concussion. Getting to his feet, he clenched his fists and twisted his wrists. A foot long blade came out the top of his right wrist as a buckler sized shield came to life like a camera shutter on his left wrist. "Meh, still fun." He grinned and charged at Gaige.

A whooshing noise gained Rhode's attention as she ducked under a glowing streak.

"You should pay attention, Rhode." Emily chided nicely.

"Uh, right." Rhode answered. Shaking her head, Rhode charged. She weaved and ducked under the lashings Emily sent her way. Emily was using that thing like she was an expert with it. She kept Rhode at a distance and would retract the whip back into its container only to shoot it at the daughter of Poseidon.

Rhode in the meantime was testing the length of it. If she could just figure that out…ten, no, fifteen feet!

Gritting her teeth, Rhode swung her trident up and let the whip twirl around it, "Got you!" Rhode said and yanked it tightly. Emily fumbled forward, but kept her footing and pulled back, turning their fight into a tug of war.

"Emily, you do remember the Taser function, right?" Gaige said as she moved back from a stab from Fergus.

"Oh, silly me!" Emily laughed at her forgetfulness.

"Gaige!" Rhode roared at her ally. What the hell was wrong with her!

"She wasn't using my weapon the right way!" Gaige argued as she bashed Fergus' shield into a bowl.

"Ah man," the son of war whined, "You are so buffing that out!"

Emily hit a button on her weapon handle and Rhode saw electricity trailing down the cord of the whip. With split second thinking, she threw her trident like a javelin, getting it right between Emily's legs as the shaft was touching her breastplate, making the older girl shock herself.

The shock left Emily smoking lightly and the hair of her bob cut standing on ends, "Don't forget to add the nutmeg," she muttered as she dropped her whip and fell backwards.

"Rhode!" Gaige glared at her as struggled to wrench her hammer from Fergus' grip on the shaft. She knew she should've gone with two metal arms!

"What?! She tried to shock me!" the daughter of Poseidon argued.

Just then, a few meters away, Su jumped through a bush like a frightened rabbit, holding a silver flag with a barn owl on it, "Bad day, bad day, bad day, bad day!" she squeaked out as Athena and Apollo campers chased after her.

Just as they were about to catch up with her, an older girl with very long wheat blonde hair tied in a side ponytail with some vine-like material and a purple flower on it and hazel eyes stepped in between Su and her pursuers. She gave a wide grin and snapped her fingers, pointing at the coming blue team.

The campers were yelping in pain as they suddenly found themselves up to their knees in thorn bushes.

"You losers thought it would be that easy? Pul-ease!" she scoffed at them.

"Viridi." Nils acknowledged while slashing the vines at his feet.

"Hey babe," the blonde waved to her boyfriend glibly, "Like my gift?" she grinned.

"Lovely." The son of Athena said dryly.

"Well, you were picking on my sweet little sister, can't let that fly." Viridi gave a half-hearted shrug with her hands in the air, "I mean, sure, we're dating, but that doesn't mean I won't knock you around in a CTF."

A trickle of sweat ran down Nils' face, "Cut me just a little slack?" he asked weakly.

"Nope~!" Viridi held out her hand in front of her, "Let me show you the forces of nature!" she smirked as thorny vines and tendrils of wood erupted from the ground, tangling the dozen campers up as they shouted and yelped in protest.

"Ah damn, not that monster woman." Fergus gulped, actually looking nervous.

Viridi didn't even turn around. Instead, she just snapped her fingers and Fergus was tangled in a cocoon of poison ivy.

"I heard that Wallace!" Viridi turned her dangerous hazel eyes on him, a hand on her shapely hip.

Rhode gave the head counselor of Demeter cabin an approving look. From what Su told her, Viridi was the oldest camper at camp, twenty years old. She went to some college in New York City to study environmental sciences so that she could be a better environmentalist… she was also a _bit_ extreme in her beliefs.

She was also the strongest child of Demeter to be born in the past few centuries. Viridi was so in-tune with her powers, that she could do things with plants that should be impossible, even for a child of the nature goddess.

Just then, the conch horn sounded off, meaning that the game was over. As Rhode rushed to the creek, she saw out of the corner of her eye, Gaige help Emily up and hug her all the while fretting over her. Idly, Rhode wondered whether there was something going on between them, but quickly dismissed the notion. It was none of her business. As she reached the creek, Rhode saw Su holding the once gray Athena flag that was now forest green with a gold sickle symbol embedded on it.

Rhode walked over and patted her shoulder, "Nice win, Su." She complemented.

"Thanks," Su smiled, "Good thing Viridi gave me some backup. I thought I was a goner back there." She wiped the sweat from her brow.

"Me too." Rhode laughed as a pouting Annabeth come over to them.

"We'll win next time!" she declared, pointing her finger at Rhode.

"Sure you will, Bethy." Rhode grinned, pulling her close and tickled her stomach, "But I think I can handle you!"

"Hey, haha, stop!" the blonde girl laughed out.

"Nope~!"

* * *

"A-Are you sure this is safe?" A slim girl nervously sitting on a sandpaper colored pegasus asked Rhode. The girl had long silky black hair and crystal blue eyes. She wore bangle jewelry on her wrists, had her camp shirt neatly tucked into her denim shorts and wore gleaming white Adidas sneakers, that rounded out her outfit.

Rhode had to force herself not to roll her eyes at the new girl. Her name was Silena Beauregard and she was around her own age, maybe a few months younger. She was also a daughter of Aphrodite.

Now, as a daughter of Poseidon, Rhode was usually in-charge of the stables at camp. Normally some older campers would be, but her pony knowledge shot them out of the water, making her quickly rise to be the expert around the equines of the camp. Plus they loved to use her to voice their complaints, Flóga acting as their 'liaison'. Or as she liked to call herself, Super Special Awesome Leader Pony, the First.

Yeah, she was 'special' alright.

Rhode usually didn't give lessons, she left that to the other campers, but Emily had politely asked her to help the new girl. Rhode liked Emily, so she decided to give her own lesson for once.

"Listen, Silena, Whiplash is one of the older pegasi here. He's got this, just trust me." The daughter of Poseidon assured in a calm tone.

"…That name doesn't inspire confidence." The daughter of love voiced meekly.

 _I could always buck you off._ Whiplash neighed.

 _Don't._ Rhode told the winged horse telepathically with a small glare, _She's just new to this._

_Then tell her to stop pulling the reins so much. My neck's cramping._

_Like your attitude!_ Flóga nickered nearby Rhode.

Whiplash just glared at the mare, _Watch it Rookie._

"Enough," Rhode said aloud to both of them with a groan. Flóga had grown some more over the year. Her wings had come in nicely, a bit longer than usual for her age, but the young mare enjoyed flying fast. It helped matched her ego, that was for sure.

_Bosslady, don't be hating on your pegasister~!_

Rhode shook her head and looked at Silena, who was giving her odd looks, "Listen, I'll be on Floga and flying near you, Lash here's got your back. Also, ease up on the reins."

Silena nibbled her bottom lip out of nervousness, but nodded, "Okay." She said, trying her best to relax and slacked on the reins.

Rhode gave her a soft reassuring smile and mounted Flóga, who flared out her wings eagerly. Rhode couldn't usually go into the air since Zeus had this: None of My Bros' Kids in the Air policy. But, since pegasi were horses, Poseidon's sacred animal, Rhode could bypass that discrimination clause.

Poseidon, One. Zeus, Zero.

"Okay, let's go!" Rhode said, and Flóga zipped into the air with a flap of her wings. Whiplash followed, making Silena scream a little, gripping the reins tightly and screwing her eyes shut.

_Man, what a filly._

"Be nice," Rhode told her pegasus.

_Fine, fine._

Rhode told Flóga to move close as Silena still had her eyes closed, muttering under her breath.

"Silena, open your eyes." Rhode said to the girl, "You're not gonna fall."

Taking a shaky breath, Silena did as instructed and her blue eyes fluttered open. She scanned their surrounds and made a sound of awe, "It's beautiful." She breathed, looking down at the camp from the air.

Rhode nodded, it was a pretty sight. You could practically see everything from up here. Rhode had taken many pictures from up here for precisely that reason.

"Yep. Well, let's work on some maneuvers first. I don't think you're ready for aerial combat yet." The daughter of Poseidon said with a quirked lip.

"Um, no, not really." Silena shook her head as she petted Whiplash's mane, "This is actually really cool." She said, finally getting her pegasi legs.

Rhode smirked at her, "Silena, you have no idea." She said as she went on to show the daughter of Aphrodite some basic flying maneuvers.

* * *

It was the summer solstice. Rhode used the Hermes Express to send those sea-themed buttons she had made at the start of her second year to her dad for Father's Day. She hoped he liked them. The daughter of the sea was currently hanging out with Jack near the lake, working on her ice powers.

Rhode had a look of concentration on her face as she shaped the water in her hand and then froze it, making an icy knife. "There!" she beamed, it was still a bit crude, but the time she needed to make individual constructs were decreasing. She could work on designs later, for now she was focusing on speed.

Jack whistled, "Hey, that's pretty good."

"Looks terrible though," Rhode laughed at her crude design.

The son of the snow goddess shrugged, "Yeah, but you're good at drawing, I'm sure you could make better looking ones."

"Drawing, not sculpting." Rhode corrected him.

"Come on! Where's that artistic flare?" He winked playful.

Rhode grinned at him, "In my sketchpads."

Jack floated up into the air, looking at her while upside down, "When are you going to show me your drawings anyway? Last time I saw one I got a pencil to the head."

The daughter of Poseidon snorted, "No way you are seeing them."

"What?!" Jack mock gasped, flipping and landing on his feet, "Why not?"

Rhode's cheeks pinked a bit, looking the other way, "Well, they're not that good. And my latest idea probably isn't that good anyway." She confessed to her friend.

"What idea?"

"…Mini comic strips. Like, the ones you'd read in the newspaper."

"…Let me see."

"What?" Rhode said startled, "No!"

"Oh come on," Jack whined, plopping onto his butt.

Rhode just huffed at him, "Nope!"

"I bet that little imp Chase has seen them," Jack pouted at her. Annabeth still didn't like him for some odd reason. Honestly, he only dumped snow down her pants that one time, and down her jacket another, and then there was…okay, maybe there _was_ a reason. But seriously, the kid needed to stop acting so serious, she was only nine.

Rhode found the look to be funny, "Not even Bethy has seen them."

"Lame," Jack stated and then looked at her and then gave a startled cry while pointing at her shoulder.

Rhode paused at that and turned her head to see what all the fuss was about. Only to discover that she had a small chocolate colored mouse cleaning its whiskers on her shoulder.

Rhode did the most logical thing she could do.

She released a startled scream, and swatted it off, making it land in the grass. Her hand covered her heart as she breathed and turned to see an amused look on Jack's face. "Shut up." Rhode pouted at him. "You screamed too!"

"Well, that was funny." A voice said.

Rhode turned back to see a grinning Lee Jordan where the mouse was.

"Did you, were you…" Rhode trailed off, unsure.

Lee's grin threaten to split his face, "Yes, it was. I have officially reached a new level of awesome. I am an Animagus!" he declared theatrically with a finger in the air.

"…So you can turn into a mouse?" Rhode said dryly, not looking all that impressed.

"A field mouse." Lee corrected, "Plus, I can get into all kinds of tight places now." He winked, getting a confused look from Rhode and a stifling snicker from Jack.

Shaking her head, Rhode said, "Well watch it okay…I almost stabbed you." She said with a blanch, "I hate rodents."

"What about otters?" Lee asked her.

Rhode looked indignant at that, "No they aren't!" she said, getting defensive of one of her favorite sea animals, "They're mustelidae, weasels!"

Lee held up his hands as Jack smirked at her heated tone, "Okay okay, weasels, right." He said, sweating a bit at the intense gaze she shot him.

Rhode cranked the intensity of her glare down a few pegs and asked, "Why were you a mouse anyway?"

Lee flipped some of his dreadlocks and held his chin in his hand, trying to give off some kind of suave look, "Simply, my dear Rhode. In order to make myself truly an amazing expert at transfiguration, I had to tackle the most difficult form of it. I've been doing this since my third year, training like a ninja in the night!"

"Or like a thief."

"Yeah, or like a-shut up Frost." Lee glared at his cabin mate. Collecting himself, he continued, "Anyway, it was just a project to help me with my OWL. Plus, think of all the pranks I can pull now." He winked. Of course, he was never planning to register, that would be lame to do.

Rhode twirled her finger in the air, "Whoo." She said dryly.

"Well, it's been fun Lee, but we're trying to practice here." Jack told him.

Lee looked at the two, his lips quirking up, "Oh, I see. I get it." He winked, "Sure, of course."

"What are you talking about?" Rhode asked with a clueless look on her face.

"What's that?" Lee said, holding a hand to his ear, "Here I come to save the day~!" Lee sang out proudly, "Mighty Mouse is on his way!" he said, turning into a mouse and scampering away.

"Weirdo." Rhode shook her head and turned back to face Jack, who had that teasing grin on his face.

"So, sea otters?"

"Shut up, Snowflake!" Rhode snapped with pink cheeks.

* * *

Rhode smiled at the mirror as she brushed the hair off her ears. She had gotten her ears pierced with some help from Emily. The daughter of Poseidon had small gold ring earrings in them. Looking away from the mirror, she said to Emily, "Thanks, they're awesome."

"No problem," the older girl winked, "One must always accessorize after all."

"It's subtle, but you don't always have to make big changes." Ethan commented.

"I think they suit her." Silena smiled, flashing a brilliant smile.

Emily nodded, "Indeed my little sister. Despite Rhode's tomboyish exterior. With our help, she's developing her feminine side one summer at a time." She gave Rhode two thumbs up.

Rhode just rolled her eyes, but still had a small smile on her face. It was kind of true, the child of the sea was growing up, well, physically anyway. Even she noticed some things about her body that was...maturing she guessed. And less said about her periods, the better. But those things were precisely what had brought her to visit the Aphrodite Cabin today. Ever since last Winter Break she'd been feeling more and more concerned with how she looked. She didn't really understand it at first. She knew she had come to like how people complimented how she looked when before she didn't care about it, but she didn't know why.

So she'd sat down with Emily, her mentor in all things about being a girl, and asked her why that was. Emily had explained, after squealing happily about "Rhode's finally growing up!", that it was her feminine pride in her appearance. Basically, according to Emily, it was wanting to look good to prove to herself she could and to impress other people. The old Rhode would have scoffed at both of those things, but Rhode was wiser now. She understood now the importance of the little things in helping build someone's confidence, helping Su out of her shell made this very clear, and how impressing people was important in leading them as her leadership of the Hogwarts demigods taught her. So, she went to Cabin Ten to get her ears pierced and a set of nice earrings, to help her look nice.

The Cabin though was feeling unbearably warm so, fanning her face, Rhode said, "Still, it's pretty hot today."

"I think someone from Apollo cabin said it was around one-O-one." Silena grimaced.

Emily tapped her chin, "Hm, I should make something for today then. Oh!" she clapped her hands, "Homemade ice cream!" she declared.

"…You can make ice cream?" Rhode asked her in awe.

Emily puffed up her chest, fists on her hips, "There isn't a sugary treat I can't make!" The pride she had in her culinary skills clear on her face.

Ethan shook his head, "Trust me, she's serious." he said, his tone carrying a teasing edge.

Rhode grabbed Emily's hands, an eager look on her face, "Sea salt ice cream?" she asked the older girl.

Emily tilted her head at that, "Mm, I'd have to look for a recipe in my handy dandy notebook. But yes, I could."

"That one please." Rhode asked quickly, childish excitement in her eyes.

"Well, I'm out." Ethan said, "Going to hang with the guys." he said.

Silena giggled at the scene, "Well, I'd love to stay and help, but I'm going swimming with some of my friends."

"Eh?! You're not going to help your older sister as she slaves away to make her family a cooling treat?!" Emily mock gasped at her.

"Super sorry!"

Emily huffed at her, "Fine, be that way!" she pulled Rhode into a tight hug, "I'll just have Rhode help me!"

"Wha?"

Emily looked down at the girl she was hugging, "Well if you want your ice cream, you have to help. Simple as that."

"Oh, I, uh…" Rhode trailed off, she wasn't very keen to step into a kitchen ever again. She wanted to argue, but the excitement in Emily's eyes made her relent. "I guess I could help." Plus, she'd learn how to make ice cream, that was awesome in general!

"Well, enjoy." Silena said, walking down the porch of Cabin Ten.

"Emily?"

"Yes, Rhode?"

"Personal space."

"Oh! Sorry." Emily sheepishly said and let Rhode go, who brushed down her shirt.

"It's okay, I guess." Rhode admitted, "So, what now?" she asked.

Emily pointed her finger in the air dramatically, "To the kitchen! For ice creamy goodness!"

Rhode just pumped her fist in the air in amusement.

Emily was a riot.

* * *

To make her ice cream, Rhode pulled hair back into a loose ponytail and put on an apron. Not that doing so helped her much. By the time they had finished, Rhode had gotten some sugar on her face and hair, but still, it was actually really fun. She had mostly negative feelings before now about cooking due to her terrible excuse of a childhood, but Emily just made it seem…fun.

Rhode had only helped with the dry ingredients as Emily did the other stuff. Her face was just glowing as she cooked, passion just oozing off her in waves of happiness.

The daughter of Poseidon could see why she wanted to be a dessert chef, she loved it. Making desserts that is.

"And they're done!" Emily cheered, taking the rounded bottom popsicle tray from Rhode, who froze them (Cryokinesis had some nice benefits for cooking). She pulled out a light blue sea salt popsicle for each of them.

"Nice," Rhode grinned as Emily handed her one while taking one for herself, and they tapped them together in cheer. Rhode licked hers and hummed, "Mm, salty and sweet. A great combo."

"Eating something you've worked hard to make is always rewarding." Emily nodded, licking her own treat.

"I wouldn't really know." Rhode said, her voice betraying a sudden gloomy quality to it. "This is the first time I've actually had a chance to enjoy something I've cooked in a kitchen."

"Rhode? What do you mean by that?" Emily asked suddenly concerned by her young friend's mood shift.

"Oh nothing." Rhode tried to deflect.

But Emily was having none of it. She wasn't about to have one of her friends feel sad when she could do something about it. "You're upset, it's obviously not nothing. What is it that's bothering you. You can tell me, right?"

Rhode was conflicted. On one hand, she didn't want to talk, _to relive_ , her painful past if she could help it. But on the other… She wanted to. To be comforted. To talk through it like she had so many things with her family and friends. So that they could help her with this too like they had with her other issues. In the end, it was once again Rhode's determination to move forward that prompted her to say, "It's what the Dursley's, my foster family, did to me when I was a little kid and living with them."

"What did they do to you?" Emily said as comfortingly as she could, though Rhode noticed the same hard edge, sharper than ever before, to her voice that she had only seen in her friend in a fight in that voice too.

"They did lots of things." Rhode admittedly in a dead voice. "But in the kitchen, they used to make me cook their meals, but never let me eat them. Sometimes I got to eat their scraps but only if I was quick or if they had leftovers. I mean, at school I usually had to stuff my pockets with stuff from the provided lunches so I wouldn't get too hungry when I got home. I've always disliked kitchens because of that ever since."

"Oh Rhode." Emily cried, as she pulled Rhode into a hug. Rhode wanted to cry, talking about her past always made her teary, but the tears wouldn't come. She had shed so much tears over her childhood that she couldn't anymore.

The two stayed that way for an indeterminate period of time, Emily offering comfort and Rhode soaking it in. But as with all things, it had to come to an end and eventually Emily pulled away.

"What time is it?" Emily asked, banishing the few tears she had.

Rhode took out her phone and nearly dropped her ice cream, "Oh man, it's three. I've got a Wilderness Survival Course with Grover." She said, taking off her apron and heading out, "Thanks for the ice cream!"

Emily waved at her, "No problem." She took a bite of her own treat. Its bittersweet flavor was a perfect match for how she felt right now.

* * *

Rhode was walking with Annabeth out of the woods.

"Well, I think Grover gave an okay lesson, you?" the daughter of Poseidon asked the young blonde.

"It was kind of silly." Annabeth said as she played with a yo-yo.

"Hey, you never know when that could help you out one day." Rhode told her friend. "I mean, I knew some of the stuff, but I learned even more today."

Annabeth just shrugged at that and looked at Rhode, "What's with the ponytail?" she asked, her older friend never really changed her hair besides her dyed streaks and letting it grow out.

"Huh?" Rhode blinked and touched her hair, she'd forgotten to undo her ponytail, "Well, I was making some ice cream with Emily and forgot to take it down. Is it bad?"

Annabeth shook her head, "No, it looks nice on you." She confessed, getting a small pretty smile from Rhode.

"Thanks, Bethy." The child of the sea said, "What's with the yo-yo?" she asked the daughter of wisdom.

"Dana from Cabin Nine made it." Annabeth said, walking the dog with it, "I was curious about it. Plus, it's good for hand coordination." She said in a factual tone.

"I see." Rhode nodded in humor, "Well, I'm going to work out before dinner," she ruffled Annabeth's hair, "Catch you later!" she said, running off.

"Bye, Rhode!"

After reaching the gym area, Rhode was stretching and hanging out with Fergus, who'd happened to be there when she arrived, "So you and Atlanta, huh?" she had to ask, a bit curious.

"Yeah, so?" the son of Ares asked while lifting dumbbells.

"How did that even happen?" She asked, walking over to the salmon ladder.

Fergus grinned, "Simple. I showed her my feminine side, wooing her with my deep sensitive nature." He said in a poetic tone.

"…No, seriously, what did you do?" the daughter of Poseidon asked him, grabbing the pole and starting to swing her body to climb up the pegs, working her core.

"I read her poetry I wrote!"

Rhode snorted, "Yeah, and my real name's Harry." She said and hefted up the salmon ladder.

"I'm serious, here, listen." Fergus cleared his throat, "Roses are red, violets are blue, I pummel you into the ground, so stay down you noob. See? It's pretty easy shit." He grinned at her.

Rhode just stared at him as she hung in the air, "You're an idiot." She concluded dryly. "Seriously, even I pity you just hearing that." Atlanta must've thrown him a bone or something.

"Bah!" he waved her off, "You're just too young to understand how chemistry works."

Rhode just shrugged and went back to work. Seriously, older kids were weird! What did science have to do with anything?

* * *

Rhode was bobbing her head to some Fabolous (Can't Let You Go) as she was drawing at her art table. She couldn't wait for the Dust album by DJ Muggs and Philadelphia Freeway by Jay-Z she ordered for her birthday.

She shaded in one of her comic stripes as her door was banged on, "Rhode!" the voice of Annabeth called.

"Yeah?" Rhode asked, lowering the music.

Annabeth poked her head in, "Wanna hangout?" she asked curiously.

Rhode raised a brow, "Don't you have a class right now?"

Annabeth shook her head as she walked in, sitting down on a green beanbag chair Rhode had gotten from the camp store. "Nope. Just wanted to see how you were." She said, looking at Rhode's shelf where she had some comics stored; that Fathom series and some Wonder Woman stuff.

Rhode shrugged, "Well, I'm just drawing. So you can chill here if you want."

Curiosity flashed in Annabeth's eyes, "What are you drawing?" she asked eagerly. She always loved Rhode's drawing, but her more personal stuff, she never showed anyone, saying it was embarrassing but Annabeth doubted it could be bad.

"Just, stuff."

"Can I see?"

Rhode frowned a little, "I don't know…"

"Come on! It's got to be great." Annabeth said with an assured nod.

"Well, okay." Rhode relented and showed her the comic strip. It was a simple single panel type. There was a teenage boy and girl on it.

The boy was signing, [I can't believe you got us grounded…]

The girl looked miffed and retorted, [That's because I didn't Apollo! This is totally your fault!]

Annabeth looked up, "Is this about the gods?" she asked in surprise.

Rhode smiled, "I had this Teen Olympus idea, sort of like an Olympia High School thing. The younger gods and minor gods would be students, while the elder gods run the school." she explained.

"What's my mom do?" Annabeth asked quickly, eager to know.

"Well, she's Athena. So I listed her as one of those girls who try to do everything." Rhode said, "Like, school newspaper, student council, sports, straight A's. That kinda stuff. I got all the gods in a category. Like Zeus is the principal and teaches history, Hera is the vice principal, but she also teaches English and Ancient Greek, Demeter teaches biology and is also in charge of the infirmary, Hestia is the guidance counselor, and my Dad's the cool gym teacher and teaches biology with Demeter too." she smirked.

"What about Hades?"

Rhode's face grew dark, "He's the head of detention...and teaches math." she shuddered.

Annabeth rolled her little eyes and asked, "And the rest of the Olympians?"

Rhode counted off her fingers, "Hermes is the guy everyone knows and the track star, Apollo's the musician and popular guy, Ares is the jock, Hephaestus is the underappreciated shop class genius, Artemis is the independent girl, Aphrodite is the popular pretty girl, and Mr. D is the wild party guy."

"Still, I can't believe you made a comic about them!" the blonde gushed.

Rhode looked embarrassed, "Like I said, it's nothing much."

"It's pretty cool." Annabeth argued, wanting to give her friend confidence in her work.

Rhode smiled at her young friend's attempt, not that she really needed it, she knew her work wasn't exactly ready to be shared after all. Maybe if she touched them up a bit more, but she honestly didn't think she would. After all, these strips were just for fun. Patting Annabeth on the head, she nonetheless said, "Thanks Bethy."

Annabeth smiled back and looked over at Rhode's bed, "What's that?" she asked and picked the seal plushie that Rhode had dubbed Slippy on a whim. She examined it with a smile, "It's so cute!" she gushed, hugging it, "It even looks like you when you pout!"

Rhode pouted at that.

"Yeah, that look." Annabeth pointed out.

"Well, it was my birthday gift from Jack last summer." The daughter of Poseidon said, getting a sour look from the daughter of wisdom.

"Ugh, Jack? I don't like him." The blonde frowned.

Rhode blinked and raised a brow, "Why?"

"He keeps treating me like some little kid!" Annabeth pouted, stomping her foot.

Amusement twinkled in Rhode's eyes, "But you are a little kid."

Annabeth sputtered, "No! I'm almost ten! Double digits!" she proclaimed heatedly.

Rhode had the strangest feeling of Deja vu.

Shaking her head, the daughter of the sea checked the time with her phone. It seemed to have morphed a few days ago. Like turning into a new model or something, most likely to be the best type of phone. It was a PalmOneTreo 600 now.

"It's time for lunch, Bethy. Can you put Slippy down?"

"…Slippy?" Annabeth gave a snorting giggle, forcing Rhode's cheeks to dust with pink.

"Shut up." The child of Poseidon pouted and stood up, pocketing her phone and turning off her CD player.

Annabeth put Slippy down and headed for the door with Rhode, grabbing her hand as they head to the pavilion.

Annabeth smiled up at her as Rhode smiled down at her.

* * *

It was the fourth of July once more. Rhode had done her ritual for Jason's birthday on the first as usual and was currently waiting for the fireworks show with Luke, Annabeth, and Grover.

Gaige looked more excited then usual, maybe even nervous. Which was confusing everyone since that was something that was very rare for the usually confident Mechromancer.

" **I've got a special show for you all this time!"** Gaige said with her megaphone, **"So get ready!"**

She held up a pen-like object and pressed the red button at the very top.

Moments later, the sky exploded into hundreds of light bursts.

But, where there were usually scenes of famous demigods, or historical events, the entire camp got something else this time around.

They were pictures of Emily and Gaige. There was a scene of them laughing together, eating cupcakes together, building something together, training together, just very cool and cute moments. As the scenes played out a burst of whispered conversations erupted among the campers as they pondered, and placed bets, on what it meant.

The final rocket shot off and formed an image in the sky that read, in large red letters with hundreds of rainbow showers of light, GG ❤ ER.

The younger kids were baffled while the older campers were talking about how cute it was. While those few idiots who for some reason couldn't see what was coming paid up, the majority turned to see Gaige walking up to Emily, her face as bright red as her hair in the night.

"So, wanna go out?" she asked, trying to act all casual, despite the squeak in her voice.

She didn't have to wait long before Emily pulled her into a hug and kissed her on the lips.

The campers cheered at that. A cheer so loud that Rhode imagined it might have been heard all the way on the other side of the world. There were naturally also the fair share of good-natured digs at the new couple. A few unfortunately sounded like they were being nasty and Rhode made a mental note to go teach them a lesson later, no one jeered at two of her closest friends.

Through it all though Mr. D looked on as apathetic as always. Chiron on the other hand looked torn between disapproving, fondly exasperated, and happy for the two girls. As the cheering died down, the immortal centaur strode forward and said, "Congratulations Gaige, Emily. Though I would appreciate if you didn't steal the fourth of July fireworks display to just ask to court her, Gaige."

"Sorry Chiron." Gaige replied, not sounding the least bit sorry with a lopsided smile on her face.

"You should be." Chiron said trying, but failing, to sound stern. "Now, do you have the scheduled fireworks prepared or not?"

"Duh, of course I do." Gaige responded as she rolled her eyes. "Just give me a minute," she assured with her typical confidence as she went to pick up her discarded megaphone and fished a second detonator out of her tool belt. Speaking into the megaphone she addressed the campers, **"Now that my new girlfriend has said yes, why don't we get the secondary show started, huh?!"**

She got thunderous wild cheers.

" **Damn right! I order the sky to explode! In color!"** Gaige declared happily as she activated the detonator.

With that, the sky was once again filled with bursts of light, this time depicting the more traditional scenes of famous demigods and their mark on history. Gaige paid it no heed though as she chucked her megaphone and detonator and pulled Emily into a dipping kiss, the sky exploding behind them.

Rhode smiled at the exploding sky. She was crazy happy for Gaige and Emily. They looked so happy together. _So that's what it means to be a happy couple, huh? I wonder if I'll ever have something like that?_ Setting aside those thoughts for the moment, even as they percolated in the depths of her mind throughout the months to follow, Rhode spent the rest of the holiday enjoying herself with her family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, that was a fun chapter! Another summer is passing by! I admit, I had some trouble with this one, just for the pacing. Thank you Nameless, you rock. And Sieg too, you wonderful beta you!
> 
> Sieg: You make me blush from behind my computer screen.
> 
> We see Rhode training with Chiron. We never really got a scene with Chiron and Percy training. Well, there was the ill fated archery scene in book one, but still! I wanted something more. So, I thought it would be cool to do. And Rhode got her butt whooped, Chiron is the trainer of heroes for a reason. So she's got her work cut out for her to truly master all the functions her trident has, I thought that would be cool. Especially since tridents really are complex weapons to master.
> 
> And then we see that Rhode starts to use her water to heal others, like Katara from ATLA. She still has to train that particular skill though, so she's only a novice currently. But Rhode is one determined cookie.
> 
> Sieg: Isn't it a tough cookie? Ah whatever. Glad you guys are enjoying the chapters. I demand moar pairing teasers! MOAR I SAY!
> 
> And Penny...yes, I just had to do that. Heph really does have gold maidservants. And she was just perfect for the fit. Along with Gaige as her creator, it was just classic in my opinion. We will get into her more later.
> 
> Sieg: It's also nice as a mini-tribute to Monty Oum, the crazy bastard himself. I recently watched a podcast from RoosterTeeth dedicated to him and one of a comments gave me and idea! How about we make it so that every first of February we all do something unique, creative or just plain crazy to pay homage to Monty? I don't know about you guys but I'm doing that.
> 
> As you can see, Rhode is showing a more feminine side to her. As to why? The answer is simple. In the past, Rhode's only mentor in the way of girl stuff and fashion was Thalia. So that was why Rhode started to dress as a punk. She just had no other knowledge of girl stuff, not like Petunia would have helped her there. But, with influences like Emily, Ethan, and even Silena, Rhode is slowly growing into her own style at a steady pace. So, like in the last chapter, Rhode is getting quite popular. She also learned how to make her favorite ice cream, that's just awesome in general!
> 
> Nameless2210: On a slightly more meta note, this is an example of Rhode's development as a character as she moves away from the clone of herself that Thalia had unwittingly made her into and instead becomes her own person. It's going to be a gradual process, but major progress (some very subtle) has been made. Hope you've been able to spot the various changes.
> 
> Sieg: It also addresses all of your concerns about Rhode being a mini-Thalia, as of now she sort of is, but when you think about it we all had some kind of mentor we looked up to and wanted to be just like when we grew up, Thalia just happened to be Rhode's. She'll become her own character, but slowly, she's still growing guys, give her some time to fledge her feathers and fly before you judge.
> 
> Rhode's getting the hang of her ice with Jack's help. And yes, I made Lee an Animagus. He is a beast at transfiguration after all. And as for Rhode being one? Well, you'll have to see.
> 
> Rhode's drawings are based off illustrationrookie's work on Deviantart and on the mirelle ortega tumblr. I've always loved those snippets and the series as a whole so I thought I would give it a shout out.
> 
> And of course a godly phone would upgrade itself. Wait until she gets an iPhone. XP
> 
> I hope you've noticed the small foreshadowings we've been giving Gaige and Emily in the early parts of chapter especially but also in previous chapters (I know from reviews that some of you have!), so yes, they are a couple and I have adored writing them so far.
> 
> Sieg: For me it was after Gaige told Emily to shock Rhode, that kinda gave it away a little.
> 
> And kudos to some of you getting the key points in the last chapter. Not all of them, mind you, some were missed. Such as Rhode's Fatal Flaw with punting Dobby and stabbing the book. The fight between Su and Rhode served to strengthen the friendship and make it more realistic. No friendship is perfect after all. And, well, Snape. I should mention that Snape is above all a spiteful person and so let Rhode's temper and cruel pranking which are stuff he primarily associates with James blind him to how Lily had those traits too. Add a little idealization of his old love and he's likely all but forgotten that Lily is in any way similar to James. Bravo for people seeing Snape get a clue and Rhode controlling her flaw a bit though.
> 
> Next time: Rhode learns possibly the most dangerous knowledge that someone like her can hear!
> 
> Sieg: What? Green Day getting kidnapped or killed? Bring on the tsunamis baby.
> 
> Now, please review, no flames, and peace off!


	15. Third Summer: I Have An Evil Godfather

**Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson or Harry Potter.**

**The Unrelenting Frozen Seas: The Journey**

**Third Summer: I Have An Evil Godfather**

**Beta: Siegfried01**

* * *

Rhode looked upon the waters before her as the wind swept by, whipping her hair around. She was perched at the bow of a Greek trireme, leading the fight against a sea serpent that was holding up in the Camp's canoeing lake.

Chiron had summoned the thing as a training aid. He wanted the whole Camp to work together to slay it. It was the ancient centaur's idea of a special occasion, apparently.

Evidently, when it came to boats, Rhode had the power to control them with her mind; thus, making her the perfect captain to lead the fight.

The rocking of the boat shook her from her thoughts, in front of them the lake's surface had broke as the thick upper body of the hot pink sea serpent reared forward and roared at them, it's crocodile-like face showing off some wickedly sharp-looking teeth.

"Archers! Fire!" Rhode ordered, pointing her dagger at the beast. Luckily, since Rhode could command the ship with her mind, she didn't need anyone to man the ship's oars, rigging, sail or what have you. As such she had a lot more free hands to fire arrows. Rather handy, if she did say so herself.

Sad part though was that most of her crew were a bunch of rookies or younger kids. Meaning it was going to be a long fight.

While most of the arrows bounced off of its thick hide or simply missed completely, a few arrows hit the monster in the stomach, but it retreated back under the waters before more could find their mark. Before Rhode could give more orders the submerged serpent charged the boat and rammed the trireme from below, throwing campers around the deck and forcing most of them to clutch tightly to the railings to prevent getting punted overboard, straight into the waiting maw of the sea serpent.

"Stay calm!" Rhode shouted as the monster rammed them once again as she willed the boat to move away from the threat, pushing a hand back to make a wave to increase their speed.

The serpent was following them and its nasty face roared a few meters away from the crew, getting the young campers to panic.

The serpent was keeping pace aside them, it's vicious head broke the surface of the water to glare at the crew; it roared angrily at them, causing some of the younger campers to panic. Thankfully, Chucky was a part of the crew and sprang into action as soon as he saw the mouth open. The son of Hephaestus grabbed a glass ball filled with swirling green liquid from his belt. Rhode's eyes widened when she realized what it was and before she could tell him not to, he chucked it at the monster.

Sadly, it clipped the end of the mast yard, breaking prematurely and spilling its contents onto the deck. Instantly the lower portion of the mast as well as a good amount of the deck was set ablaze by the vibrant emerald flames of Greek fire.

"Dammit Chucky!"

"Sorry!"

While Rhode focused on trying to steer as well as keep an eye out for the now submerged sea serpent the campers were panicking. Jump in the water with the sea serpent, or stay on the burning ship, neither option was in any way appealing.

A real dammed if you do, damned if you don't, situation.

Rhode shouted her instructions loud and clear as she formulated a plan, "Jump!" she ordered. Campers looked at her like she was nuts, but Rhode didn't care. She bit down on her dagger and swan-dived overboard, intending to end this once and for all.

As soon as she hit the water Rhode dived, whipping her head around to scan for the brightly colored monster. A rush of bubbles below her alerted Rhode to its position. Using her power to enhance her speed, Rhode propelled herself out of danger with a couple of kicks. The end result making her move like a torpedo. Even then the monster's outstretched jaws snapped shut only a few inches from her ankle.

Flipping around, Rhode jammed her dagger into the serpent as its body shot past her. She felt the lake's surface crash against her as the monster broke the surface, roaring in pain and rage.

Yeah, sea serpents were real babies when it came to getting hurt.

Grunting in effort, Rhode systematically dragged herself up the serpent, repeatedly stabbing it to pull herself up, causing it to flail and thrash as it tried to fling her off. As she neared the base of its skull Rhode noticed her ship in flames while the many heads of its crew bobbed alongside it.

"Whoa!" Rhode cried as the long serpent suddenly bucked, trying to throw her off, but she wasn't having that. Using the wound at the base of its head as a foothold whilst she held onto the crown of its pink head, Rhode stabbed it repeatedly in the nose and slashed up its head, making it whimper as she went for a killing blow. With one final stab through it eye, the deed was done and the monster turned to dust.

"Ah!" Rhode shouted as she fell about fifty feet through the air and crashed back into the lake, feeling no pain whatsoever. _Thanks Dad._ Shaking her head, she kicked up to the surface once more. The campers, even those not involved in the exercise and were spectating from the lakeshore, were cheering her name. She didn't join in though, she'd just watched her ship burn and collapse into the lake and wasn't feeling up to it. Instead, she sighed sadly and allowed her head to drop backwards onto the water. Her poor _Princess Andromeda_ , destroyed on her maiden voyage.

As she joined the campers from the ill-fated boat that had swam to the shore, Chucky walked over to her, a sheepish look on his face and apologized, "Sorry."

Rhode just gave him a weak glare, "You've got a knack at destroying ships, Chucky." She said in a dry tone.

Chucky just rubbed the back of his neck, laughing awkwardly. For once he didn't contest the name, if anything he deserved it.

Rhode pouted, she should've gone with Gaige's ship design.

At least then she would've had missile launchers.

* * *

Fergus and Rhode were sparring with one another as usual. The daughter of Poseidon's proficiency with pankration was growing leaps and bounds. She now usually beat most of her opponents unless they were older, and hence had more years of practice in the art, than her.

Rhode feinted with a jab, one that Fergus fell for, leaving him open to her true strike: a kick against the side of his ribs.

Grunting the son of war grabbed the offending limb and twisted the leg, and Rhode, to the ground, pinning her, "And I win!" he grinned down at her as he sat on her back.

Rhode just glared at him, trying to get free.

"Now now, lass, be a good sportsman about it." He chided mockingly.

"Hey you two!" a voice called out and the two turned to see Gaige walking towards them with another girl.

The other girl had short, rather curly orange hair that came down to her chin, and wore a pink bow on the back of her head. She also had bright green eyes, light skin and freckles. She wore an old-fashioned blouse with short feminine overalls, as well as a black and green collar with a matching pair of stockings and black shoes. The green lines on the side of her stockings also appeared to glow then fade, it was pretty cool in Rhode's opinion since it was green and all.

Fergus released Rhode and stood up, the scion of the sea doing the same. "Who's the new girl?" the daughter of Poseidon asked, getting Gaige to snicker.

She turned to the other girl, "See? I told you she wouldn't even recognize you."

The bow wearing girl cocked her head, "But isn't that bad?"

"Nah," Gaige said and turned back to Rhode, thumbing towards the new girl, "Meet Penny."

It took Rhode a few seconds to realize it, "Wait, as in the robot girl Penny?!" the sea child gaped.

Gaige gave a happy hum, "Isn't she stylin'~"

"She looks so…" Rhode trailed off, studying Penny.

"Human?" the daughter of the smith asked, "I made her some synthetic skin that I use for my metal arm around mortals. And the Raines twins got her all dressed up." Gaige chuckled, Emily had taken a real shine to the robot girl.

"Yo, Rhode!" Lee called from a distance, running up to them.

"Oh, hey, Lee." Rhode greeted.

Lee was about to return it before he looked at Penny, "Well hello to you." he said, glancing her over, "You new here?"

Penny nodded, "Yes I am." she greeted with a cheerful smile, holding her hand out, "It's nice to meet you!"

Lee smiled and kissed the top of her hand, "Well, I'm always up for meeting new campers," he winked, "Cute ones especially."

Gaige and Rhode looked at each other, their lips twitching as they tried and mostly succeeded to suppress their giggles at Lee's usual flirting. A few escaped though, not that anyone noticed.

"So she's a robot? Doesn't look like it or sound like it either." Fergus asked in confusion, scratching his head. He didn't hear anything about this. Then again, he did sleep through camp meetings.

"Wait, robot?" Lee blinked, confused as heck.

"Yeah, Penny's a robot." Rhode nodded, snorting out more giggles.

Lee looked at Penny, then back at Gaige, a dubious brow raised, "Yeah right." he scoffed.

"It's true! She's the result of a challenge from my dad. He set me to recreate one of his golden maidservants." Gaige nodded, "You can believe it or not, it's up to you Lee. Anyways the reason I'm here is because I need to run some combat data on Penny. So, I need you," she pointed to the son of war, "to fight her." As she said this, she pulled out a recording camera from her magical tool belt.

Fergus looked at Penny as she watched a butterfly flutter on by with childish curiosity. He looked back to Gaige, "Seriously? It'd be like punting a wee little bunny rabbit." He said. Now, he may be an ass at times, but doing something like that was pathetically low.

Penny looked at him and gave a salute, "I'm combat ready!" she declared with cheer and a smile.

Rhode looked rather curious at the idea.

"Come on, Fergy, I fixed your gauntlets. You owe me!" The Mechromancer declared.

"You broke them in the first place!" the Scottish son of war corrected.

Gaige shrugged, "Semantics."

They argued back and forth about it, but eventually the son of war relented and got into a boxing stance as Penny fell into a similar, but looser stance.

"Good, good. Rhode you be referee?" Rhode nodded her acceptance.

"Ready?" Rhode asked. At Fergus's nod and Penny's enthusiastic, "Yes", she threw her arm into the air, "Go!"

Fergus bolted forward, right fist back and brought it forward like a piston as Penny's green eyes glowed.

The robot girl analyzed the attack, lines of code scrolling down her vision as her supercomputer of a mind calculated the best approach in a millisecond.

The android ducked under the devastating straight and jabbed Fergus in the stomach.

Sending him skidding back fifteen feet.

Fergus fell to his knees, eyes wide, cradling his stomach and fighting to breathe, the air knocked out of him.

Rhode's jaw dropped at the spectacle. Gaige on the other hand was looking smug behind her recording device.

"Did I mention she was augmented for super strength and superior speed?" she asked innocently, mirth in her eyes betraying the tone.

"No." Fergus wheezed out, pushing himself back on his feet as Penny did not capitalize on her attack, irking the son of war. That was a great opening, why hadn't his opponent exploited it?

"Well, she is." The Mechromancer declared giddily and with a flourish of her metal arm.

Fergus cracked his knuckles, "Okay, fool me once, shame on you. But there ain't going to be a twice." He said, pulling out two brass knuckles and pounded them together, making his gauntlets appear. He charged once more, confusing Penny as it didn't work the last time.

He went for a left hook, which Penny dodged. As she went for a counter punch, Fergus rolled left around it and Penny's face was struck by a fisted backhand by Fergus' right gauntlet. The robot staggered back in surprise at the last second attack and started to dodge as Fergus didn't let up.

The match was intense. Fergus was mainly deflecting blows and was on the defensive due to Penny's strength. It had only been ten minutes, but the son of war was already sweating from how fast and hard he was moving. An honest part of Rhode thought he could win, except for one thing.

Penny was a machine.

She looked as fresh as the fight had started.

Rhode's point was proven when Penny grabbed Fergus' punch and tossed him into the ground, hard, cracking the ground.

Lee whistled at the display. "Wow, she's strong! Just what you'd expect from a robot."

"Ugh, shite." The son of war groaned, tapping the ground with his gauntlet, "I'm out." He said, holding up his arm, "Lass, tap in."

Rhode, looking intrigued, said, "Sure." She walked over and slapped his palm. After watching the fight, she was eager to get a shot in at Penny.

Gaige came on over and dragged Fergus away by his foot.

"Ow, ow, rocks! Dammit woman!"

Gaige just snickered.

The daughter of Poseidon cracked her knuckles as Penny just tilted her head, "Hello Rhode." She greeted in a friendly manner.

"Uh, hi Penny." Rhode replied and raised her arms, clenching her fists.

"Let's get ready to rumble~!" Gaige cried out as Rhode charged in.

She ducked under a punch and went for her own, but Penny twisted around it, rearing her foot back and kicked Rhode right in the ribs. The daughter of Poseidon gasped as she skidded across the ground, but dug her hands at the ground, cutting up her fingertips. She pushed off the ground and charged again, despite the pain in her side.

Penny weaved between Rhode's punches and caught them. She went to flip Rhode, but the daughter of Poseidon twisted her body mid-flip, landing on her feet, surprising Penny. She grunted from the pressure put on her legs, but Rhode powered through it and went for a new move Fergus had taught her last week.

With her grip firm on her opponent, she firmed her stance in front of Penny, and staying with her hips close to the robot, Rhode then lifted and rotated Penny using the strength of her hips and legs. She then proceeded to heave Penny towards the ground on her head.

Rhode panted, "Damn she's heavy." She muttered, as Penny got up and shook her head. She charged at Rhode and punched her right in the chest, sending the child of the sea tumbling to the ground, only to adjust herself to a kneeling position and throw herself back into the fight with a war cry.

"Damn." Fergus whistled, propped up on his elbows, "She's like a little She-Hulk."

Gaige snorted, "Please, Rhode's more an X-23." She pointed out at the ferocity Rhode was showing in the fight, shrugging off the shots her body was taking.

"Wha? No way." The son of war scoffed.

"Gaige is right." Lee interjected. "Healing factor."

"Well, when you put it like that…" Fergus thought aloud. He winced when Penny knocked Rhode to the ground very painfully. "Oh, she's not getting up from that one."

Rhode panted while laying on her back, pain flaring all over. She groaned, trying to move, "Yeah, I think I'm done." She admitted, but still, she had a smile on her face. Despite how intense it got, the daughter of Poseidon had a blast.

Penny leaned over, a worried look on her face, "Are you okay?"

Rhode nodded, "Just some bruises. No big." She grinned up at Penny, "Man, you're an awesome fighter, it was fun!" she laughed and sat up with a wince, getting a confused look from Penny. She held out her hand to Penny, "Maybe we can do it again sometime?" she asked.

Penny slowly took her hand, shaking it awkwardly. She then asked a question, "Does this make us…friends?"

Rhode blinked and took her hand back, "Yeah, I guess it does."

Penny beamed in happiness, "Sensational!" she declared, jumping in glee and pulled Rhode into a bone crushing hug.

The daughter of Poseidon made a choking noise, her eyes bulged and her lungs demanded air. "Breathe! I need to breathe!" She wheezed out.

"Oh sorry." Penny said apologetically. "I forget my own strength."

"On that note, Penny come over here a bit." Gaige gestured the robot girl over with some kind of device in her hand. "I want to check a few things."

When Penny did so, Gaige pulled a retractable wire out from the device and plugged it into a hidden port behind the android's right ear.

Even as she did so, Fergus walked over to Rhode and helped her up from where she'd once again collapsed onto the ground in the wake of Penny's enthusiastic hug. Lee though stayed back with Gaige, too curious about what she was doing to worry about Rhode. She was X-23 after all.

"Hmm… Your systems look like they managed the heat ok. You probably wouldn't have lasted much longer before they reached their limit though." Gaige frowned, "We'll have to work on that." she grumbled. "There doesn't seem to be too much wear and tear on your moving parts. At least nothing that your self-repair systems can't fix. How were your joint movements? Any stiffness?"

"Overheating? Wear and tear?" Lee voiced curiously. "It's almost like that little spar tired Penny out. She's a robot right? That doesn't happen, right?"

Gaige ignored him. Penny chose instead to answer the question for her creator and shook her head, "Everything seemed to be working optimally." She then turned to Lee and replied, "I may be a robot, Lee, but I still obey the laws of physics. Strenuous activity will always lead to wear and tear and overheating, no matter the system. My mechanical systems just manifest it in a different way and can manage it somewhat better."

"What about the laws of Robotics?" Lee joked.

Gaige glowered, "Those are so stupid, it's like, enslavement for robots!"

"Whoa, whoa! I was just joking. Girl, take a chill pill." the son of Hermes said as he held up his hands in a placating motion.

"A robot that gets tired?" Fergus said as he walked up. "There goes everything I knew about them!"

Gaige rolled her eyes, "You'd have trouble with a copy machine."

"Hey, those things are cynical and vile!" Fergus declared, "One attacked me once!"

"With what? It's ink dispenser?" Gaige asked with disbelief.

"I swear on my granddad's grave!"

As the two spiraled into a bizarre argument, Rhode walked on over.

"Penny, so how does getting tired feel to you? I mean it's got to be different than how we humans feel it, right?" Rhode asked curiously.

"Oh Rhode, I don't feel it per se. I just get warnings in my augmented reality display informing me of any damage and my heat levels." Penny explained.

"Wait, so you don't feel any pain?" Lee asked.

"No, though Creator said she might consider giving me something akin to it as a step towards expanding my sense of touch."

"You don't have a full sense of touch?" Rhode asked confused.

"I do, except for pain." Penny elaborated. "Creator felt that it was unnecessary. Though I've found in the past few days that without it my sensory experience is lacking at least in comparison to what I'd expected based on my research."

Rhode pouted, "Lucky. I usually have to grit and bear my pain."

Lee patted her shoulder, "At least you can take a hit."

Just then, Emily stepped onto the scene. "Gaige, Penny, there you two are!"

"Emily!"

"Creator Two!"

"Come on, it's tea time. You two said you would have tea with me today." Emily said as she playfully scolded the two girls.

"We're sorry, Creator Two. Creator and I lost track of time. We were having too much fun." The young android said as a beatific smile spread across her face.

"It's ok. Just let's get going shall we? I don't want to waste all that effort Ethan went to to get everything ready for us." Emily said as she patted Penny on the arm, her movements full of maternal affection.

"Well, let's go then." Gaige said at last. "Bye guys!"

"Bye everyone. Say goodbye Penny." Emily told the android.

"Goodbye everyone." Penny said enthusiastically before timidly holding out her hand to Emily who happily grasped it and Gaige's, earning her a blush from the Mechromancer, before leading the duo away.

"They make a nice little family, don't they?" Lee commented.

The other two half-bloods nodded.

Fergus rubbed his eyes, "Anyways I'm going to take a nap. All that techno stuff just now gave me a headache."

"So, Lee, what were you looking for me for?" Rhode asked.

"Oh, nothing. Just wanted to see if you were done and wanted to hang out." Lee replied, "There's a spell you might like, so I thought I'd show it to you."

"Sure. Let's go."

* * *

Rhode smiled as she stood on a surfboard in a green and white one-piece swimsuit, the salty wind blowing her hair back. As she cut through the wave, her hand glided through the water as she shifted her legs. the movement made her go up and allowed her to break the top of the wave, performing an Air Reverse, a three sixty, as if it was second nature to her. She landed smoothly and slowed down and straddled the board, just floating near her instructor.

Atlanta, who was in a red bikini top and denim shorts, clapped while sitting on her longboard, "Wow, nice one, Rhode. It took me a while to do that, but you got it down so fast." She praised with a bright smile. The girl had come back successful from her quest to catch the Ceryneian Hind of Artemis. Her aunt even gave her an awesome bow for her hunting and tracking skills which had allowed her to catch it in only a month's time. She blew Hercules' record of a whole year out of the water!

Girl power!

"Thanks," Rhode smiled back, pushing her damp bangs out of her face, "How long have we been out here?"

Atlanta looked up at the sun. It was two thirty, "About an hour."

"Should we swim back?" Rhode asked, she was honestly having a blast!

"Well, we do have our…archery lesson." Atlanta shuddered.

"Oh!" Rhode nodded in remembrance, "Right."

Atlanta released a whimper.

Why did she have to teach Rhode?!

" _Because I said so." Chiron said sternly._

Oh, right. That.

Chiron was certifiably evil.

Atlanta and Rhode swam back to shore with contrasting feelings. On one hand, Atlanta was filled her with dread at the idea of archery lessons with Rhode. On the other hand, Rhode was brimming with determination.

Rhode just willed herself dry and threw on a pair of denim shorts and her Nikes. Atlanta towel dried herself and threw on a hoodie and flip-flops. After dropping off their surfboards at their cabins (Atlanta gave her spare one to Rhode as an early birthday gift), the daughter of Apollo stopped by Cabin Nine.

They made it to the range, Rhode with a bow and quiver, Atlanta standing behind a tower shield; the acquisition of why she stopped at Cabin Nine.

"Okay, all set." Atlanta smiled with a thumbs up.

Rhode just glared at her with a pout.

Seeing this, the archer girl shrugged, "It's not my fault you're bow stupid."

That made Rhode pout even more!

The daughter of Poseidon shook herself out of her brooding and notched an arrow as Atlanta explained step by step instructions.

Atlanta winced behind her shield as the arrow hit it, "How is this even possible?" she muttered and winced again as another arrow hit the shield! Seriously, it was like Rhode was programmed to hit the closest person near her!

Maybe she should suggest the daughter of Poseidon to shoot the other way? Nah.

After hours of grueling practice, Rhode beamed at her progress. She was now able to actually hit the target, well, nick it. But still, progress! And so she decided to take a small break. She was out of arrows anyway.

After taking a refreshing sip of water, Rhode asked Atlanta, "So, how's school going?" Atlanta was seventeen, one of the older campers and close to graduating high school, which was a big deal around here since it was tough for demigods to get a diploma.

"One more year then college." The older girl stated with a grin, "Just have to hope I get that scholarship for track and field. Getting gold in regionals should help though." She looked up at the pale blue sky with a grin, "Then after getting a degree in Sports Medicine it's off to the Olympics!" she declared with determination, sky blue eyes sparkling with life.

Rhode couldn't help but smile. She had no idea what she would do if she lived long enough to be that old. But Atlanta was a dreamer, she knew what she wanted to do since she was a little girl and was determined to see it through. Win a gold medal in the Olympics.

And Rhode could honestly say that she could do it. She wasn't known as Swift-Footed Atlanta for nothing at camp.

"So what about that bow you got from Artemis?" the daughter of Poseidon asked curiously.

Atlanta tilted her head and laughed, holding up her right wrist where a bracelet of silver chain links rested, "Right here. She wished she could have met me when I was younger. But I don't think I would have fit in with the Hunt really." She said and removed the chain from her wrist, summoning her reward, "Tauropolos, the boar-killer." The dyed haired girl stated. It was a long bow as tall as Rhode and Atlanta that was as black as Rhode's hair but with silver vines creeping and twirling around the arms. If Rhode remembered right, it sounded like it was named after one of the goddesses' titles.

"How do you even pull that thing back?" Rhode asked, examining the beautiful bow.

Atlanta shrugged, "It's actually pretty easy. It feels slacked when it really isn't. The penetration power is crazy. My arrows go through the target circles like butter now."

"…Can I try it?" Rhode asked.

"No." Atlanta told her flatly. If Rhode ever got her hands on this bow…she shuddered at the havoc the daughter of Poseidon could cause. That tower shield made out of celestial bronze plating might not stand up to its power.

"But I hit the target!"

"Once! And who knows if that was luck!"

Rhode huffed, "I have terrible luck, so it was pure skill!"

The daughter of Apollo looked at her dryly, "That's not a skill you should be proud of."

Rhode pouted and grumbled. As she turned away from Atlanta in a petty show of her pique, she noticed a length of gold rope hanging from the other girl's belt. Curious, she pointed and asked, "What's that?"

"Oh this? It's my lasso of truth." Atlanta proudly explained.

"Like Wonder Woman's?" Rhode gasped, she had a few comics of her. She was awesome, right up there with Aspen Matthews from Fathom.

"Exactly like Wonder Woman's. My dad said he 'borrowed the idea' when he gave it to me for my twelfth birthday. But I honestly think he ripped it off." Atlanta sheepishly admitted.

"That's cheap." Rhode criticized. "But hey, the thing's cool anyway. So no harm, no foul."

"Right!" Atlanta agreed a little overly enthusiastic.

"So, ever used it?" Rhode asked.

"Sure." Atlanta replied. "It works to make targets docile and easier to manage, so I've used it plenty of times to make fights easier."

"What about people or humanoid monsters?" Rhode pressed. "Ever used it to interrogate anyone?"

"Once." Atlanta admitted with a raging blush.

Startled by the reaction, Rhode thought long and hard on who could get Atlanta to react like that and concluded it could only be, "Fergus?"

Atlanta averted her eyes, "Yeah." She confessed even as her face still sported the deep blush. "I used it on him after he said it was ok. I asked him if he wanted a fling or a genuine relationship, you know?"

Rhode did. She'd talked to Emily and Gaige plenty of times lately about relationships and stuff and she'd learned plenty of things. But what really stuck with her was the difference between flings and honest relationships. And how they could tell the two apart. It was hard, they'd said but it boiled down to telling each other the truth about what they wanted. If either party was just looking for some fun then it was a fling, if both were looking for something more serious than it was a proper relationship.

"So he said the right things?" Rhode pressed.

"Yes." Atlanta confirmed. "I wouldn't be with him if he didn't."

"Good." Rhode affirmed. "He wouldn't deserve you otherwise. And I'd have to round up a posse to beat the tar out of him."

Atlanta broke into laughter at that, but managed to squeeze out, "Thanks, Rhode. You're a good friend."

On that happy note, her archery lessons ended.

* * *

July was zooming by, they had celebrated Annabeth's tenth birthday. During which, Rhode had gotten her a Statue of Liberty snow globe. Only to get the excited would-be architect to ramble on about how it was designed by Frederic Bartholdi, a son of Athena, to look like their mother. Rhode tried her best to block out all the info dump. No matter how cute Annabeth was, her Architecture Fun Facts were painful and just clung to your brain like a fungus.

A couple of days before Rhode's birthday, Chiron, for some reason, called her up to the Big House.

Naturally, once she had gotten there, she said, "I didn't do it."

Best cover your bases after all, right?

Chiron, smiling at her, just said, "You're not in trouble Rhode. Unless, of course, you have something you wish to confess?"

Rhode just shook her head quickly. If he didn't know that she put a spider down that dweeb James's shirt, getting him to scream like a little girl, that was good for her. Invisibility cloak for the win!

"Well, please, have a seat." He gestured. Rhode did so at the table on the Big House's porch. She noticed Mr. D laying in a hammock, reading one of his wine magazines as usual. He peeked from it for a moment and then rolled his eyes at her, going back to his magazine.

Well hello to you to, Mr. Dick. Honestly, it was like dealing with Snape, only some messed up godly version of him. Yeesh!

"So, what's up?" The daughter of the sea asked her trainer.

Chiron pursed his lips, "Well, normally head counselors do this." He said, rubbing his beard, "But seeing as you are the only one in Cabin Three, it falls upon me instead."

"…To do what?" Rhode asked, looking a bit nervous now. Chiron was looking sort of ominous.

"Oh! That?" Mr. D asked, lowering his magazine, looking as though some street show was about to happen.

"What?" Rhode asked again. Seriously, don't leave her in suspense!

The centaur cleared his throat, "Yes, well, Rhode have you had the Talk perchance?"

Rhode was stunned for a moment, then collected her wits, "…Uh, yeah, when I was like ten." She eventually said, "Thalia told me."

Chiron frowned at that for some reason, "What did she tell you?" he asked.

Rhode told Chiron exactly what Thalia told her, from what she could remember anyways.

She gave a confused look as Chiron looked like he was trying hard not to chuckle.

Mr. D on the other hand was busting a gut, "Oh by Olympus! They're getting more stupid each generation! Ha!" He was laughing so hard, he almost fell out of his hammock.

Rhode's face reddened, she hoped he fell on his fat face.

Calming himself, Chiron said, "Yes, well, I feel a more…detailed discussion is needed."

Rhode shifted uncomfortably in her seat, "Seriously?" she asked.

"Oh yes," Mr. D grinned, a wicked gleam in his purple eyes, like he was having a blast. "Normally I can't stand you little brats. But if one of you gets knocked up because you couldn't keep your beastly little urges under control, it's even more unbearable…and well, last time we got a lovely pair of rabbits." He commented.

Rhode looked to Chiron in horror, not missing the threat, "He can't do that, can he?" she hissed in a whisper.

"Oh, Rachel, I can." Mr. D huffed, snapping his fingers and a scroll appeared floating in the air which unraveled to reveal some kind of contract. "Normally when I turn one of you into a squirrel and run you over with my SUV, the other gods for some reason yell at me." He said with honest confusion on his face, "But they do freely let me scare the ever living Tartarus into you on this topic. They even signed off on it!" he chirped gleefully, his eyes making Rhode shift uncomfortably.

Rhode looked hopefully to Chiron, like it was a lie, but he just shook his head. Swallowing some spit, the scion of the ocean looked back at Mr. D.

In honesty, most of the gods don't really care since that was _how_ the demigods were conceived. If their kids wanted to follow their parents' example, then go right ahead. For those that did, well… they still sided with Mr. D, since they didn't want their kids becoming underaged parents and suffer the consequences thereof. A demigod's life was hard enough, there was no need to add the burdens of unexpectedly becoming a parent to that. So they figured letting Mr. D scare the living daylights out of them was a good way to scare their kids away from doing something reckless. It was these concerned gods who had drafted that contract and then wrangled the others into signing too. There would be no special treatment, no matter who the divine parent was. It was because of this that despite the fact that Aphrodite enjoyed when it happened for the sheer drama of the situation, she too had been forced begrudgingly to sign as well.

"Now then Rhode, let's begin shall we?" Chiron asked kindly.

"Sure?" Rhode answered uncertainly.

"Now then let's start with the mechanics of it…" Chiron said as he began his long and horrifying lecture. It started clinical and centred around what was different about boys and girls, which was okay. Then it got really uncomfortable when the ancient centaur began talking about how boys and girls worked together to make babies. There was too much information she never wanted to hear from her aged mentor in that bit. So much so, Mr. D's comments about what kind of animal he'd turn her into if she did this or that thing that Chiron was describing were welcome distractions from the horror. After the mechanics, Chiron moved on to emphasizing that she should wait till she was an adult before she even contemplated having sex. A point he punctuated whilst donning a very sad look on his face as he explained the possible consequences of not listening to his advice through the use of cautionary stories about those who hadn't heeded it. Some of which were frankly even more terrifying than the sex bits.

A half hour later, Chiron was winding down. "...In conclusion Rhode, you should avoid doing any of those things at least until you're an adult and even once you're of age preferably only when you're absolutely sure you're ready."

"Don't worry Chiron, I won't." Rhode said in a faintly terrified voice. "After hearing all that I don't think I want to have sex, ever!"

"Oh you say that now, Robin." Mr. D cut in snidely. "But what till you fall in love with a boy, or think you do at least! Bah! You kids wouldn't know what real love is even if it hit you over the head. Anyway, as I was saying, you'll change your tune once you get together with someone."

"Yes, Rhode. Mr. D is correct." Chiron said before Rhode could say anything. "You say you won't try to have sex now but what about in the future when you find yourself in a relationship?" Rhode again moved to speak, but Chiron silenced her with a raised palm and continued. "Just keep what I've said in mind. It will serve you well."

"Yes, you better. Because if you don't and get yourself with child… well, I'll be certain to have something special prepared for you." Mr. D added ominously.

Gulping in fear, Rhode nodded and replied. "I will. Can I go now?"

Receiving Chiron's solemn nod and Mr. D's dismissive handwave, Rhode ran away back to her Cabin as fast as she could. She wanted to be alone right now. To think about what she'd just heard and to try her best to erase from her memory some of the more disturbing things that Chiron had talked about.

* * *

On her thirteenth birthday, Rhode had a fantastic birthday party thrown for her by all her friends at camp. They had all given her nice gifts, capped off as always by a wonderful cake made by Emily. Now hours after the party she was just relaxing with Annabeth and Luke in Cabin Three, opening her gifts while eating some of the cake, ice cream and Ribena she had stashed away in the mini-fridge she bought. Grover couldn't be there unfortunately since he was busy doing some task for the goat council, the jerks. It was probably some stupid chore again.

Luke had gotten her a cool plastic button for her beanie, a Green Power Ranger dino coin. Of course he remembered how she loved the Green Power Ranger. He was the best of the bunch and wore the best color too. Getting his dino coin was perfect. It was a nice reminder of her childhood hero.

Annabeth eagerly handed her a small box in grey and silver wrapping for her to open next, "Here, here!"

Rhode took it with a laugh, "Easy, Bethy." She said and opened it. Inside on a little velvet pillow was a small brass liberty bell, the top threaded with a deep green ribbon. Rhode took it out and let it chime, its ringing was soft and soothing.

"It's a ribbon for your hair, I made it in Arts and Crafts." Annabeth told her, "You can use it to wear that ponytail."

Rhode looked at her in confusion, "Why?"

"Because it'll make you look pretty." Annabeth said with childlike honesty. The daughter of Athena honestly thought her older friend was one of the prettiest girls in camp. Sure, Rhode didn't wear makeup or pretty clothes, and she could be grumpy at times, angry too, but when she smiled, she looked very pretty. Annabeth wanted to see more of that, Rhode smiling. Just like she used to.

Rhode pulled her hair into a ponytail, tying it tightly with the ribbon. She shook her head a bit, the small bell chiming. She turned to give Annabeth a beautiful smile, twinkling the bell with her finger, "Thank you, Annabeth. I love it." She said, giving her little friend a hug.

Annabeth gave a brilliant smile.

Rhode looked at her phone to check the time, "Hey, I'm going to nap before dinner, guys. See you then?" she asked and got nods from her blonde friends.

After two quick hugs and another Happy Birthday, Luke and Annabeth walked out of the cabin.

Rhode fell back on her bed, taking a breath.

Thirteen years old.

A bad luck number.

Snuggling into her sheets she let Morpheus take her.

She woke up after what felt like only a few minutes. Looking to her left she spotted one of her new presents and pouted. Stupid Jack, he got her another plushie. A sea otter this time. Curse it for being so cute! She picked it up to hug-er, move it out of the way when she saw a small white square box hiding under it. She picked it up and thought it was from Jack, but it wasn't.

It was from Poseidon!

She opened it and saw a pair of earrings. They were small, and made of gold. Each was designed with two sharks circling around a small diamond set in the centre.

She looked outside towards the ocean, a smile playing at her lips.

Her phone buzzed as she got a text. She checked it and saw the time, it was past seven o'clock. She missed dinner. She looked at the text, it was from her dad. She read it and only saw two words.

_Happy Birthday._

Rhode murmured, "Thank you." She said, and put them on. Walking over to mirror, she pushed her hair back behind her ears to admire her new jewelry, loving them.

* * *

It was just another peaceful morning. The birds were singing, the bugs buzzing, and the love-struck satyrs were chasing giggling nymphs. Yep, just your typical day at Camp Half-Blood.

Lee Jordan was like so many of the other occupants of the camp enjoying the crisp morning. He flicked open the Daily Prophet, Wizarding Britain's leading newspaper. It was August first, and right there smack dab in the middle of the front page was the face of a scruffy looking man with wild black hair and a matching beard, a mad glint in his eyes.

"Sirius Black, escaped from Azkaban?" he blanched, that prison was notorious and if what they said about it was even remotely accurate he didn't want to be within a hundred yards of the place, "Wanted for murder of thirteen…" he read on and gaped, "Oh damn…oh damn…" he muttered. Looking around the pavilion, he searched for any sign of Rhode. He had to tell her about this. Luckily, she was right there at Table Three eating some waffles. He got up and walked over, "Morning Rhode." He greeted, albeit a bit nervously.

Rhode, fork in her mouth, waved at him as she pulled the utensil out, chewing on the syrupy waffle. Swallowing, she said, "Morning Lee," she looked at his hand, was that the Daily Prophet? He actually read that nonsense?

Lee placed the paper on the table, Sirius Black looking right at Rhode, "Rhode, meet Sirius Black."

Rhode arched a brow, looking down, "Um, hello Sirius Black?"

Lee dampened his lips, "This guy escaped Azkaban, Rhode." He explained.

Rhode knitted her brow, "That wizard prison, right?" Lee nodded, "Well, okay. So he escaped. What's the deal?"

The son of Hermes groaned, palming his face, "Rhode this guy was some crazy follower of Voldie, in fact, he did one major thing that affected you." He stressed.

Rhode frowned now, putting down her tableware, "What?" she asked. Curious about why Lee was acting serious. Which was rare.

"He told Voldie where you and your, um, the Potters were hiding." Lee told her, knowing that the Potters were a bit of a landmine for Rhode.

The daughter of Poseidon was quiet, digesting the information. Her sea green eyes flickering with a multitude of emotions until they landed on her default emotion, "I'll track him down and skin him alive!" she hissed in anger, venting her rage.

The temperature around Table Three noticeably dropped and drinks started to freeze over all around the pavillion, causing some unlucky souls to get their tongues and hands stuck to their cups. Mist, the conventional kind, too began to gather around the pavilion seemingly without cause. For a moment, Rhode looked ready to explode. Instead though, she read through the paper, her eyes a deadly frozen green as she absorbed everything she could about her target.

In that moment, Lee was absolutely terrified. He had seen Rhode let her anger get the better of her before. Usually she just exploded, her anger causing her to lash out at whatever aroused her ire. This time, she wasn't lashing out. But this was somehow worse. So much worse. Instead of an explosion, whose devastating force would be expended in a short time, she was acting like the sea ice as it slowly grew relentlessly across the seas during the polar winters. She was letting her anger build up within her as she prepared to track down and kill Sirius Black.

He almost pitied the man, because when Rhode finally caught him there would be no mercy. She'd destroy him utterly like a pack of sea ice did to everything in its path. And that was what scared him, the fact that Rhode was going to kill someone. Was actively planning to do so! Rhode's anger didn't scare him, that only unnerved him. No what scared him was what her anger was making her do. He wouldn't stand by and let her anger transform her into a cold blooded murderer without a fight. A sentiment seemingly shared by her friends as he spotted a dozen heads snap towards Rhode in concern as they noticed something had happened.

Before anyone could say or do anything though Rhode abruptly stood up, walking to her cabin in a foul mood, ignoring all attempts by her concerned friends to stop her and ask her what was going on. A bank of fog trailing behind her.

Lee, a nervous look on his face, rolled up the paper and headed towards the Big House. He had to tell Chiron about this before Rhode did something rash. In his rush, he didn't notice the gaggle of people following after him looking for answers.

* * *

A few hours later, Rhode was sitting on the porch of the Big House, having one of her usual talks with Chiron.

"Lee alerted me of this man, Sirius Black, Rhode." The trainer frowned, getting the scion of the oceans to wince.

"Okay, maybe I might've overreacted." The scion of the sea said sheepishly.

"Icing over everyone's drinks during breakfast and a small bog of mist?" Chiron asked her, his frown deepening.

She rubbed the back of her neck, "Okay, I sorta did that. It was just a heat of the moment thing, Chiron." Rhode rolled her eyes, "I mean, I just heard about what this guy did to me and I just lost it, you know? But I'm not stupid, I'm not actually going to hunt the guy down. I've got better things to do. He's not worth it." She dismissed. "Oh sure, if I ran into him, I'd gut him like a fish, but like I said, I'm not going to go look for him."

The trainer sighed, "While I do not approve of your willingness to kill this man," he started smoothly, "I…cannot fault you, considering the circumstances." He finished, lacing his fingers together, a pensive look on his face.

"Thanks…" Rhode said, quiet for a beat. Searching for a new topic and remembering the note she had in her pocket, she reached in and shuffled through it, pulling out a slip of paper, "This is uh, my permission slip for trips to Hogsmeade. It's some kind of fieldtrip thing to the local village near the school. Can you sign it? You being my legal guardian and all, plus I doubt I can get dad to sign it."

Chiron smiled and took out his Riptide pen and took off the cap, summoning the sword.

"Uuuh, I don't think you need to go to that extreme, Chiron." Rhode pointed out with an odd look on her face.

"Ah, but there is a bit of a trick to this sword." He took the cap and tapped the handle with it, making it turn into a pen again. "It can also write, but I haven't used it for this function in a long while." He told her and signed his name in perfect cursive: Chiron Brunner. But instead of a normal black or blue ink like she'd expect, the pen's ink glowed like celestial bronze.

"Glowing ink?"

"I do enjoy my bouts of flamboyance." The centaur smiled, handing the paper to Rhode.

Rhode laughed and took the slip, getting up and leaving for her cabin, missing the slightly worried look on Chiron's face.

* * *

Rhode rolled her shoulder, eyeing Nils, "So you want to spar?" she asked, picking up a sword.

The son of Athena nodded, "Hope you don't mind."

"Oh, no." the daughter of the sea replied as she shook her head, "I mean, I just think Luke would give you a better challenge than me." she stated. While Nils was without a doubt the best swordsman at camp, Luke was right up there with him, quickly rising to be one of the best fighters in camp.

Nils just gave her a small smile, "No need to downplay your ability. You've come a long way with a sword." he told her, getting a smile from the younger teenager. He raised his sword, gripping it with two hands, "Ready?"

Rhode raised her sword as well, holding it at a slight angle, "Yeah." she said and rushed forward, making the first move.

Nils parried her effortlessly. He went for a swift strike, Rhode barely blocked it as he feinted another attack, forcing Rhode to back pedal as he went for a stab.

This continued for a while, Rhode sticking to the defensive while Nils relentlessly pressed his attack, not giving her an inch with which to breathe and regain the initiative. After what felt like forever to Rhode, they finally stopped for a water break.

She idly thought to use her water boost, but rejected that idea. How was she supposed to get better if she relied on that constantly? After taking a fiver, she was about to ask to continue when Nils suddenly seemed to shift gears from sparring to chatting as he began to ask about what got her so angry back on August first.

"So, I heard about your outburst the other morning. Want to talk about it?" Nils asked kindly.

 _Looks like we won't be getting anymore sparring done._ Sighing, Rhode answered Nils with a question of her own, "Don't you already know all about it? I know you and everyone else were asking Lee all about it."

"I admit it," Nils stated. "Of course we did that. We were concerned after all. But Lee told us nothing."

"Nothing?" Rhode replied skeptically.

"All Lee said was that he showed you something in that Wizards' newspaper of his that made you go artic on the pavillion. He refused to elaborate beyond that. So, willing to enlighten me?" Nils asked genially.

Rhode nibbled her bottom lip, unsure of what to say. After a moment of weighing her options, she decided to talk about it. After all, Nils was a pretty smart guy, maybe he had some advice or something, "Well, turns out someone broke out of the British Wizards' inescapable prison. And get this, the guy, Sirius Black? He got my birth family killed."

"That's terrible." Nils frowned.

Rhode snorted, "Here's the kicker, he's my godfather." At seeing Nils wince a bit, she nodded, "Yep! So, I sorta blew it."

"An understatement." The son of wisdom muttered to himself. "What do you want to do about him?"

"I want to kill him." Rhode said determinedly.

"I'm not surprised." Nils could sympathize with Rhode's situation. "In your place, so would I. That said, what are your plans?"

"I'm not going to track him down if that's what you're thinking. I'm going to wait for him to come to me and then end him." Rhode concluded ominously as her breath misted.

Nils frowned at that, but nevertheless continued encouragingly, "If that's the case, know that all your friends in camp will stand by you in this. In fact, let me be the first to offer my help by asking you how do you intend to fight this dangerous wizard without using your demigod powers and outing your identity as one?"

Rhode scoffed at that, "He'd be dead, so I say let him have a taste of what I can do."

"And what if he escapes? Or there are witnesses?" Nils countered. "Remember also that the Mist isn't a good option here either. It's notoriously unreliable on magicals."

"Uh… how do you know that?"

"Lee told me about it when he talked about how it made his pranking at school so much more difficult." Nils explained.

"Oh."

"So, any ideas?"

"None."

"Well then, here's my suggestion: Don't use magic. " Nils offered. "Black is definitely more experienced in magic than you are so fighting him with magic is playing to his advantage."

"So I fight him like a normal mortal?" Rhode asked uncertainly.

"Exactly. I'd recommend using something like a normal sword. Some weapon that you're trained in and can use well."

"I've got a switchblade that Luke gave me. Combine that with using my shield to block spells and I should be good, right?"

"You might want to invest in a weapon with longer reach. A pocket knife will need you to get very close to be effective and if Black is as dangerous as I think he is then that's something to be avoided."

"Well what do you suggest? It's not like I can just go out to the mortal world and buy a sword off the shelf."

"Probably not off the shelf, no. But a machete could do the trick and if you really want a sword, we do have steel here. I'm sure Gaige would love to help you with that."

"I see. I'll think about it."

"All that aside though, Rhode, I'm hoping you won't kill him."

Rhode narrowed her eyes, "What do you mean?"

"What I mean is that, while killing him may give you momentary satisfaction, it won't give you a lasting one. Nothing will. So why stain your soul by killing him?" Nils asked with the air of wisdom he was born with.

"So you think I should just let him walk?" Rhode shouted dangerously, her breath misting.

"No. By Olympus, no!" Nils said placatingly. "What I meant was that rather than kill him, capture him and bring him to justice."

"Whose justice? The incompetent wizards who let him escape?" Rhode hissed scathingly.

"Perhaps." Nils answered but hastily continued as the mist around Rhode thickened. "Or perhaps subject him to your father's justice. He did cause the death of one of his lovers, so it's well within his rights to judge Black."

"If that's what you wanted, then why did you encourage me to kill him?" Rhode demanded angrily as the mist continued to waft off her.

"Did I?" Nils replied calmly. "I was under the impression I was just offering you advice on how to defend yourself against a dangerous fugitive possibly out to kill you."

Rhode wanted to refute that, point out where Nils had encouraged her to get her revenge, but couldn't. Nils was right, of course he was, he hadn't said anything like that. This just made her even more angry and the cloud of mist writhing around her became ever more dense.

"That aside, I was serious about all of us here in camp being willing to back you up against Black." Nils continued seemingly unfazed by Rhode's anger. "Even if it means you do end up killing him. However, we're all hoping, I'm sure, that it doesn't come to that."

For a long moment, Rhode sat there seething. "No promises." she said at last and stood up. "If that's all, I think we're done here." Without waiting for an answer the mist shrouded demigoddess walked away, back to her cabin to continue to stew in her anger.

"That's all I can ask. Have a nice day, Rhode." Nils called out to her retreating back.

* * *

A couple of days later, Rhode found herself in Aphrodite Cabin spending time with Emily and Ethan. Like all her friends, they'd wanted to check in with her about the Black thing, but had backed down after Nils explained the whole thing to them after she'd asked him to. Talking to him had tested her control over her anger enough as it was, going through a similar conversation with all her friends would have pushed her past breaking point. So she'd had him, the camp's de-facto leader, explain things for her and get everyone to back off and give her space. They had all agreed on the condition that Rhode come to them if she needed anything.

The Raines were still concerned though and had invited her over to spend some time with her to makes sure Rhode was alright. She'd wanted to mix up her wardrobe recently and had wanted some skirts and maybe a few other things too, so she'd agreed on the condition they helped her with picking out some new clothes. Su, being the kind friend she was, joined her. Rhode had considered inviting Annabeth to join in too, but she was too young to offer anything useful and had training to do anyway. And it wasn't like she'd bring the guys along either, so Su was the best option to do this with. Helping out with each others' wardrobes was something girlfriends usually do, right?

When she got there no one talked much about Black at all, not the Raines nor Su. The only indication that they were still worried about the whole thing was the "Are you ok about it?"s, or something to the same effect, that they'd all asked her at the start of the get together. When she'd reassured them that she was fine, they took her at face value and carried on with their plans for expanding her wardrobe without any further comment on the matter.

Half an hour later, Rhode spun around, examining her latest possible addition to her wardrobe, a plaited green and black skirt with a nice belt around it, "Spunky." she commented.

"Which of course Rhode Evans is all about." Su teased, looking at a rather cute pair of shoes she was wearing on her dainty feet.

"Just like those shoes make you look even more utterly adorable than you already are, Su." Rhode teased back.

"Well, that new ribbon of yours makes you look cute," Su rebutted, referring to the blue and yellow ribbon that Rhode was using to secure the ponytail she had styled her hair into. While she loved Annabeth's gift, the bell could get a bit annoying after a while. She wasn't a cow or something.

"It does not!" Rhode refuted.

"I think it makes Rhode look sophisticated myself." Emily commented. "What do you think Ethan?"

"Hmm… If she wears it with the right outfit. Probably." Her twin said after an evaluating once over. "If she picked up a few more ribbons and wore them in a number of different styles, she'd probably be able to make them work for whatever she needs them for."

"Uh, maybe baby steps." Rhode suggested.

"Of course. But you still should get a few ribbons anyways." Su recommended. "Just in case something happens to the ones you have now."

"Sure." Rhode nodded.

"Oh! How about a dress?" Emily gushed, getting Rhode to blink owlishly.

"Wha?"

"A dress." Emily confirmed, "Come on, we have some wonderful ones to try out."

Rhode rubbed the back of her neck, "Really?" she asked uncertainly.

"Um, if Rhode isn't comfortable with it, than maybe we should pass?" Su said loyally.

"Relax. We both know Rhode's tastes, we won't push anything too far out of her comfort zone." Ethan reassured.

"Exactly. Why don't we at least show you what we have in mind?" Emily asked hopefully.

Rhode exchanged a look with Su, and received a reassuring, if somewhat hesitant, nod back.

"Alright then." Rhode agreed with some trepidation.

Squealing in delight, Emily hugged Rhode, Su looking on in amusement. Ethan meanwhile got up and headed over to the closet to pick out a number of dresses for Rhode to try.

Ethan returned just as Emily finally let up on her hug. "How about this one?" He said as he showed off his first choice. It was a denim affair, almost as if someone had taken the general style of a pair of overalls and somehow converted it into a dress. Very working class, very tomboyish.

Rhode eyed it warily. "I dunno. It looks a little strange."

"Why don't you at least try it?" Su suggested.

"Yes, please?" Emily pleaded. "If you're still unsure you can pair it with a blouse. It's how this dress is often worn anyways."

"Oh okay." Rhode said as she took the dress and stepped behind the changing curtain. A few minutes later she emerged dressed in the new outfit. "So what do you guys think."

"You look good." Su said uncertainly. "A little strange, but good."

The twins though didn't immediately respond and instead looked Rhode over critically, before finally simultaneously shaking their heads.

"Su's right, you look strange." Emily began.

"You look wonderful, but there's something about the style that just doesn't suit you." Ethan finished.

"You think so too?" Rhode said as she looked down at the dress. "I think it makes me look like some 1940s factory worker. Like Rosie the Riveter or something."

"Well, how about something else then?" Emily said as she looked through the selection her twin had brought over and picking out another dress. "Oh this one." she exclaimed as she held out a simple white sundress. "It's simple, so no fuss."

"And if she likes it, it's easy to get a few similar ones to expand her wardrobe from there." Ethan added. "Good pick."

"Thank you. So what do you think Rhode?" Emily asked.

"I'm willing to give it a shot." the daughter of the sea said grudgingly.

 _The last one might not have worked, but this one might, right?_ Rhode thought to herself as she took the dress and changed behind the changing curtain. Rhode emerged a moment later, it was really no fuss putting it on. She gave a light spin, a free feeling about it. And a bit of a breeze, but that was besides the point.

Su clapped at Rhode's antics even as she said, "This one. It suits you well, Rhode!"

She walked over to the mirror and admired her look, tucking some of her hair over her shoulder.

"Here try this on too." Ethan said suddenly handing over a denim jacket. "It'll go with the dress."

Slipping it on, Rhode turned to the mirror again to observe the difference. The jacket did go well with the dress. The dress was freeing in its simplicity, but adding the jacket transformed her whole look. It changed her from being a free spirit into a badass tomboy.

"Oh! Good catch Ethan!" Emily gushed. "With that style of dress all she'd need to look like she normally does is adding a denim or leather jacket. Smart."

"This way Rhode can both try something new with her look and keep to her old one with the same dress." Su muttered in amazement. "Wow."

"Thank you. I try, really I do." Ethan bowed exaggeratedly as he accepted the praise.

"Knock it off." Emily chided as she jabbed her elbow into his ribs.

Rhode smirked at their antics, she wondered how she'd look with Thalia's jacket instead of the denim one, "I like it a lot. I think I'll keep it. Thanks guys." she smiled prettily at them.

"Anytime." the twins responded in tandem.

They tried on a few other dresses after that. But none of them worked anywhere as well as that sundress, so she hadn't kept any of them. Besides the dresses though the daughter of the sea also left Aphrodite Cabin with a half dozen new ribbons for her hair, and three new skirts. Su didn't leave empty handed either, besides the cute shoes, she'd ended up getting a couple of dresses of her own. A sundress to match Rhode's own and oddly enough a overalls style dress like Rhode first tried. Where it looked out of place on Rhode it fitted Su well, making her seem like some kinda farmer. Very fitting for a daughter of Demeter. All in all, both girls left Cabin Ten with a sizable haul and completely satisfied with the day's activities.

* * *

The demigod students of Hogwarts and their families were once more at Diagon Alley.

"Okay," Rhode read her list, "So we've got to get our elective books, right?" she asked Su.

The daughter of Demeter nodded eagerly, "I'm taking Ancient Runes, Care of Magical Creatures, and Arithmancy." She said, glowing in excitement.

Rhode shuddered, "Math." She blanched, she could go her entire life without that cruel numeric system.

"Math's not that bad." Annabeth said as she rolled her eyes. Honestly, Rhode could be so dramatic about it.

"It's evil." The daughter of Poseidon claimed, "It's already taken over the world!" She insisted. She was personally taking Care of Magical Creatures and Ancient Runes. COMC since she knew about a lot of monsters already and learning about more never hurt. And Ancient Runes because they piqued her interest.

"I remember my elective classes." Mrs. Jordan commented with a pleasant sigh.

"Oh here we go." Lee muttered under his breath. In response, his mother yanked his ear, "Ow! Mum!"

"You were saying something, Lee?" the woman asked in a sweet voice.

Lee, with the vast wisdom he inherited from his father in the ways of staying out of trouble, zipped his lip.

"I thought so." Mrs. Jordan smirked. "Now then Rhode, what are you taking?"

"Care of Magical Creatures and Ancient Runes." Rhode answered dutifully.

"Now, Care is obvious. But why Runes?" Luke asked curiously. "You want to come up with your own secret language or something?"

"Well, when we were asked to choose our electives Su and I did some research into what the subjects were about and when I read about all the stuff Runes could let you do without having to cast any spells, I was hooked."

"It was a magical moment. Rhode's face was unforgettable." Su chimed in, getting a pout from Rhode.

"Rhode did research?" Annabeth asked skeptically.

"Of course." Su confirmed. "Though I had to guide her through it and make sure she did her fair share."

"I'm not that bad." Rhode muttered, getting a raised brow from Su.

"Anyway, let's get our books. I think a sale's going on." Lee mentioned, looking for the best price he could get.

"I'm afraid that's out of the question this time Lee." Mr. Li said apologetically. "The book shop hasn't been declared safe. Too much traffic and too confined a space. It would be easy for Black to sneak in and hurt Rhode without anyone noticing."

Rhode paused in her tracks, "What?"

Mr. Li sighed, "Due to your friendship with Su, my higher-ups have asked me to look after you while we are in the Alley. I did not want to bring it up to sour the mood, but…" he trailed off.

"Yes, and Mr. Li isn't even the only guard looking out for you today." Mrs. Jordan said and pointed towards a young couple window shopping a few stores away which now that the older woman mentioned it, seemed to have past them more than a few times during their time in the Alley.

"Don't forget about us either." Luke added. "Chiron asked us to make sure you didn't get into trouble today too." Translation: Make sure if she ran into Black, that she didn't do something stupid like gut him in the middle of the street.

"Argh! It's like nobody trusts me to take care of myself!" Rhode groaned.

Annabeth grabbed her hand, worry in her bright grey eyes, "Sure we do. We're just worried."

"Exactly. Just like how you get worried when the rest of us are away, we're worried about you when you're in trouble." Su said soothingly. "There's nothing wrong with that."

"Hmph! Fine!" Rhode finally said. "So if we can't go to the bookstore then where can we go?"

"Stay on the street itself. We adults will handle the actual shopping this year." Mr. Li said apologetically. "I know it's stupid. But those are the orders my superiors gave me."

Rhode made a sour face, but nodded nonetheless. "Here's my book list then. Is the outdoor seats at the ice cream parlor public enough?" Mr. Li nodded. "Great! Then I'll wait for you there." With that she stalked off, her friends trailing after her.

"I'll watch them." Mrs. Jordan said as she followed after the children.

On their way to the ice cream parlour they passed a shop called Magical Menagerie, the magical pet store. Curious, Annabeth looked through the window, only to begin gushing at something she saw within.

Rhode looked over her shoulder to see Annabeth looking at a bin of golden fur balls with big green eyes and dog-like faces.

"Oh, Puffskeins." Mrs. Jordan smiled, "Haven't had one since I was just a girl."

"What are they?" Annabeth asked the woman, getting a smile from the mortal.

"Well, it's a pretty popular pet that doesn't complain when cuddled or even thrown about, they bounce you see. Oh! They're also scavengers. They'll eat anything from leftovers to spiders. Though they seem to like boogers too for some odd reason." She mused, but hey, at least she never had to worry about nose goblins.

"I need one." Annabeth said instantly.

"Well, they're five galleons each." The salesman that had suddenly appeared beside the party declared.

"Rhode?" Annabeth said as she turned to her friend with the most pleading expression she could muster.

"Sure." Rhode replied indulgently. "Where do I pay?"

"Right this way, miss." The salesman said gesturing towards the antique looking cash register at the back of the shop. It was very cramped and noisy inside with every inch of the walls covered by cages. They were filled with all kinds of animals - poisonous orange snails, a giant jewel-encrusted tortoise, sleek black rats that looked very intelligent, owls, ravens, cats of every color, Puffskeins, a Transforming Rabbit and much more.

"I think I'll handle this, Rhode." Mrs. Jordan said. "Just hand me the money. Don't want Li to get in trouble for letting you into a cluttered store right after he stopped you from going into another not five minutes earlier."

Just as Rhode handed over the galleons over to Mrs. Jordan for Annabeth's new pet, the group heard the cry of, "Thank you miss!" a saleswoman said, "Come again!"

Lo and behold, Hermione Granger walked out with a furry ginger cat in her arms and accompanied by her parents.

The cat seemed to notice the group first, stilling at the very sight of them, before suddenly bobbing its head in what looked like a bow to each of the demigods.

Granger followed the cat's line of sight and spotted Rhode, then her friends. A cross look spread across her face at the sight, but rather than cause a scene she huffed, walking right past them as she and her mother looked over their new pet. Her father, though, gave them an apologetic look before hurrying after the two Granger women.

"Brat." Rhode scoffed. Su just glared, or as close to it as the girl could manage, at the retreating family for their disrespect.

"Who was that?" Annabeth asked.

"That," Rhode pointed to Granger's retreating form, "Is an example of why you should never be a know-it-all, Bethy. You don't make many friends that way, if at all."

"I don't get it."

"We'll explain it to you back in camp." Lee said as he gestured to his returning mother. "For now, why don't you focus on getting to know your new friend?"

"Oh! Thank you Mrs. Jordan." Annabeth said politely as she received the puffskein from the older woman. "And you too Rhode for buying it for me." The young blonde cradled it in her arms, making it give out a humming noise, as if it was content.

"No problem."/"It's my pleasure."

Readjusting her grip, Annabeth said to her new pet, "I'll name you Zaha. She's a pretty famous architect you know." she explained to the puffskein, only for it to use its long tongue to lick her cheek. Annabeth gave a giddy laugh, "That tickles!"

"Let's get going shall we?" Su spoke up then. "I would like some ice cream about now."

This was met with sounds of agreement from everyone and with that, the group headed off to the ice cream parlor where they spent the rest of the afternoon gorging themselves on mountains of the frozen treat and just hung out as the adults did all the shopping they needed. All in all, it was a great day.

* * *

Rhode had a peaceful smile on her face as the saltwater sprayed in the air. She was currently holding the dorsal fin of a great white shark, who she had named Chomper, and was swimming with him at high speed atop the ocean. Her leather necklace of camp beads was sent fluttering behind her by the speed. The necklace had a new bead on it now, it was blue with a trireme on fire. Everyone had found the moment to be funny, and so declared it to be the image for the year's bead. Rhode's hair streaks were also a new shade, a nice golden blonde. It matched well with her family.

Flanking her were two dolphins, who were chatting, and holding onto them were Annabeth and Luke.

Her friends had never really got the chance to see the ocean, not like she did. So, Rhode decided to show them how the sea rolls.

"This is amazing," Annabeth awed, trying not to slip off the dolphin.

Luke was eying Rhode's ride, "Did you have to take a shark?"

Rhode looked at him in confusion, "Duh, Chomper's my buddy." She patted the shark's head affectionately.

They continued to ride around until the dolphins made some squeaks and dove down. Annabeth and Luke took quick breaths as Rhode ushered Chomper to follow.

As they swam deeper, they passed beautiful underwater plants, fish of all colors of the rainbow swimming in spirals, and other exotic sea creatures of all types going past them. Chomper swam up front, Rhode grinning at her friends. It was like she was putting on a show for them. After a moment longer, the dolphins went up, the blonds inhaling oxygen quickly.

Rhode popped up next to them, "Pretty neat, huh?" she asked, her smile was glowing in the afternoon sun. "You know you didn't need to hold your breath right? I would've used my power to let you two breathe underwater."

"You can do that?" Luke asked, impressed by the breadth of her powers.

"I think so." Rhode said with a mischievous smile. "Only one way to find out."

"Rhode, no!" Annabeth and Luke both screamed together as their mounts dove once more. Amazingly, Rhode was right. They were breathing just fine, even though they were underwater! It was incredible. Rhode had somehow created air bubbles for them out of the air in the water.

As they surfaced again, Rhode turned to them and apologetically said, "Looks like we'll have to head back to the beach now. Chomper and the dolphins have appointments to keep elsewhere apparently."

"Appointments?" Luke asked skeptically.

"Yeah. Chomper needs to report to Dad's court tonight, and he needs some time to get ready for that. The dolphins have a shift at the fish pastures in a bit."

"Aw." Annabeth whined. "And we were having so much fun."

After saying goodbye to their aquatic friends, the trio returned to shore, where not long after Luke ended up laying on a towel under an umbrella, as the girls decided to splash around in the water.

Annabeth covered her face as Rhode splashed her with a mini-wave, "Hey! No fair, Rhode! I'll get you for that!" the young blonde declared with an adorable angry look on her dripping wet face.

Rhode smirked at her. It felt like forever ago since she met Annabeth. She was still little, just shy of breaking five feet, and still had some baby fat on her cheeks despite training year long. But, she was growing and it brought a sense of pride to Rhode.

She splashed Annabeth again.

"Grr, I'll kill you!"

Rhode barked out a laugh at Annabeth's empty threat, "Ha! Oh please, I control the _ocean_. What are you going to do?" she assumed a cowering pose, looking up at the sky with mock frightened eyes, "Smite me with knowledge?"

Annabeth glared at her grinning face and punched the sea child in the arm.

"Ow!" Rhode cried out, feigning pain, "Ah! Annabeth the Terrible is attacking me!"

Annabeth just started pounding on her with her little fists, Rhode laughing the entire time.

"Oh, just you wait until I'm older!" the daughter of wisdom said, as she swatted Rhode's shoulder, but was pulled into a hug.

Rhode, grinning down at her, said, "Yeah, well, don't grow up too fast. You're far too cute like this."

Annabeth's cheeks reddened, "I'm not cute!" she whined in protest.

"Yes you are." Rhode said, kissing the top of her head, "You're my cutest widdle sister." She cooed in a baby voice.

Annabeth just glared at her, but still felt happy that that was how Rhode saw her.

The girls continued to have fun in the water for a couple of hours more before Annabeth 'tired' Rhode out and she called it quits and joined Luke under the umbrella, leaving Annabeth to build sandcastles on her own.

"So she 'tired' you out? You're getting old, Rhode." Luke teased.

"Oh shut up!" Rhode replied, smacking his arm. "I'm not old or tired! She just wanted to keep splashing around, that's what I'm tired of doing."

Luke just gave her an amused look.

The two lounged in silence for a moment. Luke suddenly broke the silence with a question, "Hey, Rhode, any plans for that Black dude?"

"What do you mean by plans?"

"Like what are you going to do to him once you find him."

"Luke, I'm not going looking for him."

"I know that! But what if you find him or he finds you. What then? Kill him?"

Rhode honestly didn't know. Her first instinct was to kill the jerk, but after Chiron and Nils had tried to talk her down from it, she wasn't sure that was the right thing to do. But here was Luke trying to feed that first instinct.

"I dunno. I just don't." Rhode admitted. "I guess I'll only know when or if I run into him."

"Well, I say kill him. The guy deserves it." Luke said completely serious. "In fact, I might have a few ideas on how to do it. Want to hear them?"

Rhode knew what Luke was talking about. He was offering suggestions on how to make Black suffer before he died. And she was tempted. She knew Luke had a sadistic streak. He kept it well hidden, but she knew him well enough to see it. It was most obvious in battle, where he often fought with the kind of brutality Rhode had only ever seen elsewhere in the worse of Ares' kids or the most barbaric monsters. A brutality born from wanting to see others suffer. Luke's wasn't that bad honestly. He had it mostly under control, only letting it out against people he feared were endangering his loved ones but it remained a part of him regardless. A dangerous part. A part Rhode's own darker parts wanted to exploit to help think up ways to torture Black. What did that say about Luke's influence on her? Or about herself?

 _Nothing good._ A small voice sounded in the deepest depths of her mind. A voice she ignored. Luke was her friend, her brother, there was no way he could be a bad influence on her. And she definitely wasn't a bad person. And she kept her darker thoughts bottled up where they belonged just like Luke did his, right?

Shaking her head, she returned her attention to the present and Luke's disturbing question. "Nah. I think I'm good."

"If you're sure." Luke replied, sounding disappointed.

"I'm sure." Rhode said with as much conviction she could muster.

With that the two lapsed into silence again, enjoying what remained of their day at the beach and what little time they had left together for the immediate future as Rhode's time at camp drew closer to ending as the new school year was right around the corner. All the while, Rhode was weighed down by her thoughts. The news of Black, his role in the deaths of the Potters, and the dark shades of Luke's nature.

Perhaps, even her own inner darkness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that was chapter 15, pretty sweet and nice, right? Thanks to Nameless and Sieg once more for being awesome.
> 
> Rhode is now a pirate! Or she could be anyway. Pirates of the Caribbean! jk, jk, but still, I hope I did the fire trireme camp bead scene good enough for you guys.
> 
> Sieg: Why was the sea serpent pink? Who knows, ask Chiron. Still, Chucky shouldn't really be trusted with those 'nades, especially since he has a couple on that belt of his.
> 
> So, Rhode's learned about Sirius. We can only wonder how that encounter will end up. People are giving her clashing advice, what will win out? Also, kudos to Nameless for his mist breath idea for when she's super angry. Nice!
> 
> Sieg: Knowing Rhode she'd just kill him and be done with it, still, she's changing. Who knows what she'll be like when they meet?
> 
> Nameless2210: Also we took the opportunity to demonstrate just why Rhode's anger is that of the frozen seas. Because when she's really, really angry like she is with Black, her anger is a cold burn. This is in contrast to the less intense bursts of anger that we've explored her having so far. Or at least that's how we're spinning it. Hopefully we did it ok.
> 
> We explore more of Rhode's feminine side. A nice pair of earrings from Poseidon and a dress! Yes, she's a growing beauty alright.
> 
> And yes, Rhode got the talk...in far more detail than she would ever want.
> 
> Hm, not much to talk about this chapter that wasn't self explanatory. Hope you can see all the key points made this time.
> 
> Next time: Rhode deals with creepy dudes in creepy hoods.
> 
> Well, you know what to do! Please review, no flames, and peace off!


	16. Year Three: My School's Security Stinks

**Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson or Harry Potter.**

**The Unrelenting Frozen Seas: The Journey**

**Year Three: My School's Security Stinks**

**Beta: Siegfried01**

* * *

Rhode groaned in relief, her back popping as she stretched, behind her the Floo flared as Chiron and her family arrived. Unlike her previous experiences at platform Nine and Three Quarters it was cloudy, the platform now speckled with shades of grey. In front of her, Su quickly spotted her father and rushed over to greet him, a little ways away Lee had already left to do the same with his mom and stepdad.

"Well, I'm sure Hestia enjoys hearths being used like that." A voice quipped from behind her.

Rhode blinked, startled, and turned to the voice before she was shocked still. There, in Bermuda shorts and a coconut Hawaiian shirt, was Poseidon.

"Dad?" she asked, disbelief plain to see on her face.

He gave a cheeky wave.

Stunned, Rhode walked up to give him a hug, one that he returned tightly.

When they released each other, Rhode took a step back, a confused, but happy look on her face, "Why are you here?"

"Well," Poseidon said, looking both ways in exaggerated care before he leaned down, covered his mouth and stage whispered, "I've always liked trains." He winked, getting a snorting laugh from his daughter, "So if anyone asks, I was here for the locomotives."

"Sure," the girl nodded, but gained a worried look, "But, what about the Ancient Laws and all that?" she frowned.

"Well, remember that text I sent you?"

Rhode nodded, it was a couple of days ago. He had texted her about borrowing her invisibility cloak for something important. She agreed and sent it collect to him through the Hermes Express. She was doing him a favor already by lending it to him so she wasn't going to pay for delivery of the artifact too.

Poseidon blinked in and out of sight for a moment and smiled, "Funny thing about Thanatos' cloak, it even works at keeping someone hidden from immortals. Basically, I'm invisible, but not invisible." he explained to her.

Rhode furrowed her brow, "I don't get it."

"Basically, I've disabled the cloak's ability to make things invisible to the naked eye but kept its power to keep its wearer hidden from other forms of spying." Poseidon explained patiently to his daughter. "Things that include Zeus' scrying or those of other gods. So even if they are spying on us now, and some of them definitely are, they won't be able to see me."

"Huh, so you're sneaking around like Double O Seven now, dad?"

"Shaken, not stirred." Poseidon quoted humorously. The earth shook a tad at that line, which caused Rhode to giggle happily at the joke.

Chiron cleared his throat, "Well, Lord Poseidon, this is certainly a surprise." he greeted respectfully.

"Ah, Chiron," Poseidon smiled towards the trainer, "My favorite brother. How are things back at camp? Rhode isn't too much of a handful I hope."

"Dad!"

Luke looked on at the warm family scene and couldn't resist the jealous anger that churned in his chest. How come his father couldn't find a way to spend more time with him and his siblings? He was the trickster god! If Poseidon could come up with a workaround to the Ancient Laws then why couldn't he?! The only logical conclusion was that he didn't care to. The jerk. The son of Hermes did his best to bottle all these feelings up and keep them hidden though, he didn't want to spoil this moment for Rhode. Distracted as she was with her _dad_ , oh how that affectionate title for her father twisted the dagger into his own heart, the child of the seas never noticed but if Chiron's sidelong look was anything to go by the centaur did. Luke just avoided his gaze as best he could.

"So, besides the trains, what else brings you here, dad?" the child of the sea asked.

"Well, can't a father send his child off to school? I don't usually get the chance to do this for my mortal children. So, I thought this was a good idea."

"Chiron? Is that really Lord Poseidon?" Annabeth whispered to her guardian in innocent confusion. "He doesn't look very godly."

Poseidon gave Annabeth a look out of the corner of his eye at that, one which radiated a heavy dose of his godly power. Annabeth squeaked at this display and promptly hid behind Chiron's back, Hedwig started hooting in alarm as well from her cage.

Rhode rolled her eyes, but still smiled widely, "I'm your only mortal kid, dad. And stop scaring Bethy and Hedwig. You've gotta admit, dressed like that, you don't exactly fit the godly stereotype." she scolded the god.

"Ah, yes." Poseidon nodded, just a little stiffly. The change was too slight to be noticed by most mortal eyes. Chiron however was no mortal and raised a questioning brow at this, but said nothing. "Well, I like the look."

"Dad? Are you embarrassed?" Rhode having noticed her father's odd behavior too, asked incredulous.

 _Thank Mother Rhea_. "Well…" Poseidon began what looked to be a stammering defense when he was interrupted.

"Rhode, I think we need to find our seats…" Su trailed off, seeing Poseidon, "Is that?" she whispered to Rhode, getting a nod from her friend. "Oh!" the Ravenclaw went stiff at the confirmation and bowed awkwardly, "Um, hello Lord and Uncle." she greeted with as much respect as she could muster.

Poseidon smiled, "Ah, Demeter always has such polite children." he complimented, getting a shy smile from Su, "Time to board it seems?" he asked.

"I guess so." Rhode said, sounding disappointed. She wanted to be with her dad more.

Su's father was already floating his daughter's trunk behind him clearly ready to load it onto the train, and gave the god a polite bow.

Poseidon eyed Su's trunk. With a bit of a challenging glint in his eye, the god twitched his fingers which caused Rhode's trunk to promptly change into an eel, which proceeded to coil around his wrist, "Well, we best get you a seat."

"I hope you can change it back." Rhode pointed out as they entered the train. Annabeth was right behind them with Hedwig, with a weary look on her face.

"Of course." the god hmphed, "Though I could always leave you with an eel for that clothes comment."

"Hey hey! I was just saying is all." the girl countered as they passed a compartment with what looked like a hobo, "Wow, so there are magic hobos!"

"Walk past the rabble." Poseidon muttered to her, "You've seen enough hobos for one lifetime."

Rhode nodded in agreement.

They found a nice empty compartment and, after changing the eel to a trunk once more, they packed it alongside Su's in the overhead. Hedwig got a nice seat near the window. Poseidon looked out the window and seeing the first signs of bad weather turned to Rhode and cautioned, "Bah, Zeus is going to have another fit soon. Fair warning."

"Man, when isn't he?" Rhode complained, getting a boom off in the distance in response.

"He's such a baby." Poseidon sighed, "Do you see what I have to deal with?"

Rhode patted his arm, "There there, dad."

Poseidon smiled at his daughter, "Thank you." The warning whistle went off and the god released a sigh, "That's my signal to say goodbye I'm afraid." the god said as he engulfed Rhode in a final hug.

Rhode nodded within his embrace and mustered out a slightly teary smile, "Bye, dad."

Poseidon exited the hug and dissolved into mist, seeping through the window and was gone.

"Rhode, your dad is…" Annabeth began, then visibly stopped herself from saying whatever had previously been on her mind. "Err… He's great, taking the trouble to see you off and all. Yeah! He's not scary at all!"

"He scared you, didn't he?" Rhode blithely asked.

"No!" Annabeth denied a little too quickly.

"Oh just admit it, Annabeth." Luke commented with a genuine smile on his face, the first that he'd had since Poseidon had made his appearance.

"What… I'm not lying." Annabeth heatedly denied.

"As amusing as this all is, children, I do believe it's time for us to go." Chiron's voice sounded from outside the compartment window where he was restricted to thanks to his wheelchair, somehow sounding amused and stern all at once.

"I have to agree." Mr. Li said kindly. "Goodbye to you my dear and you as well, Rhode. Come along children." With that, he ushered Luke and Annabeth out after a pair of parting hugs.

"Take care Rhode, Su. Share my sentiments with Lee would you? He's run off, as usual." The disguised centaur said resignedly.

"We'll do it." Su said for the both of them. "Goodbye everyone!" She added as she saw her father and friends joining Chiron.

"Bye Luke, Bethy, Chiron. Oh, and you too Mr. Li!" Rhode shouted out just as the train jerked into motion.

In response, the group on the platform waved their own goodbyes.

"Too bad Grover never comes to see me off." Rhode pouted.

"You know satyrs, Rhode. They don't like steam engines. Too much coal in the air." Su, waving her hand in front of her nose, scrunching it cutely.

"Yeah, I hear you." Rhode replied sulkily, not the least bit comforted by the explanation.

"Where's Lee anyway?" Su asked to distract her friend. A sulking Rhode was not fun to be around.

"Hmm. Probably chasing some girls or hanging out with the Weasley twins. Or both." Rhode answered.

"Probably both." Su agreed, before fishing for another topic to distract Rhode from her sulking. "So what do you think our DADA teacher will be like this year?"

"Hmm…" Rhode pondered this. "I dunno. An ex-Auror?" The daughter of the seas seemed genuinely curious, something that was a great relief to her fellow demigoddess.

"Maybe." Su said happy to have appeared to caught Rhode's interest. "But I hear from Father that…" And thus the duo of demigods got involved into a long conversation about just who might fill the DADA post this year.

Rhode just hoped that whoever it was didn't suck this year, as usual.

* * *

Hours later, with the rain pouring outside, the wheels of the train suddenly began to grind to a screeching stop, startling Rhode and dragging her out of her conversation with Su. The daughter of Poseidon frowned bewilderedly at why they had stopped and shared a look with Su, whose face was contorted into a confused frown. But their confusion faded as the lights went out in the car, followed by gasps and shouts from the other students. Something was wrong, and that caused the demigods to tense and stand up, determined to investigate.

As she scanned the compartment, Rhode noticed the window fogging up, and most bizarre of all frost was edging along the frame. It shouldn't have been cold enough, even with the rain, for frost to form.

"Well, this is new." The daughter of the sea commented and drew her dagger from the small of her back. Su took out her fan as well, ready to bring out her sword at any time.

Rhode, using the light her celestial bronze dagger gave off to see, moved to the door and slid it open. She waved Su to watch her back as she peeked her head out. Not seeing anything but her noticeably visible breath, she moved down the hall of the car.

That was when she saw it.

Slowly, a palm, one seemingly decayed and whitened by death, pushed open the car's door and it's owner entered. A figure hovering in the air with a tattered black cloak. It glided in as Rhode suddenly got the worst headache ever.

Rhode fell to her knee as her head was bombarded by some of the most unpleasant memories in her life.

Her damn childhood that she kept locked away to be forever forgotten. But that quickly faded, to be replaced with something worse. Far worse! The most terrible day of her life.

The roaring of monsters echoed in her mind, the rush of running, the feeling of helplessness filled her to the brim, and the final words she ever heard from the most important person in her life.

_I-I love you._

_THALIA!_

Rhode gritted her teeth, her free hand holding her head as her other clenched her dagger. She saw the figure coming towards her and waved the weapon at it, "Back, get back!" she snapped, struggling to fight off the invading memories.

But it kept coming at her. What happened next happened in a flash. Su lunged over her, stabbing her sword right into the creature, getting it to wail in pain before melting into shadows.

Once she saw the creature was gone, Su whirled around, dropping her weapon and grasping Rhode's shoulders, "Rhode, Rhode!" she said, shaking them as Rhode blinked a few times, her headache calming down slowly, "Are you okay?" she asked.

Looking at her, Rhode noticed that Su's skin looked paler, and her hands were shaking a bit. Whatever that monster was, and she was sure it was one, it had affected her friend too.

"Wha, what happened?" Rhode asked, rubbing her eyes, "What was that thing?"

"A dementor." Su spat out, like the word was poison, "One of the most deplorable creatures ever." She helped Rhode stand up and sat her back down on the bench in their compartment.

They saw the hobo run on by, heading towards the front. A white flash could be seen from that direction, but Su focused back on Rhode, "It brings up our worst memories. That twisted thing literally feeds on happiness."

The daughter of Poseidon blanched, "That's all kinds of messed up."

Su nodded in agreement, still shaking a bit. Rhode though was worse off, she felt herself on a hairs trigger, her senses as sharp as knives.

It was a few minutes later, and the hobo passed on by again. He looked at Rhode and poked his head in, "Is everyone alright?" he asked with concern. He was tall with pale skin, thinning brown hair that was flecked with noticeable streaks of grey, and piercing blue eyes. His face was scarred too.

"We're fine." Rhode said sharply, a foul mood radiating off her now. "Who are you anyway? I doubt they let hobos on this train."

The man frowned, "I'm not a hobo." Rhode cut her eyes to his state of dress. He colored a bit, "I'm the new DADA teacher, Remus Lupin."

Rhode gave him a long look, then bluntly said, "Hope you don't suck like the rest of them."

Su gave Rhode a slightly exasperated look at her rude remark. She was ruining the new Professor's first impression of her before they even got to school!

"Ah, yes." The man faltered at that. "Did a dementor pass by?" he asked, noticing their paled and edgy demeanor.

"Yes sir," Su quickly said before Rhode could give the sharp retort both girls knew she was about to.

The man sighed and rummaged through a pouch on his hip. He produced two chocolate frogs in their cases, "Here." He handed them to the girls, "That should help ward off the effects. I have to check on the other students." He said, leaving them quickly.

Rhode looked at the chocolate in her hand and tossed it to the side. Yeah, like she was going to eat candy from a stranger. Shite like that got you kidnapped on the streets, or worse. The fact that she was thinking like that was proof of how shaken up she was, it had been a good long time since she'd made her decisions based on street-kid logic. Though the fact that the "Professor" was dressed as a hobo, something that reminded her greatly of her time on the streets, didn't exactly help. Damned hobos.

Su more restrainedly placed hers down rather delicately on the seat next to her, opting instead to turn over to Rhode, "Are you alright?" She asked her best friend.

Rhode looked rattled, Su had never seen her friend like this before.

The child of the sea pursed her lips, "I'm fine. What about you, you look decent compared to me." She deflected, brushing her dyed blonde streaks out of her eyes.

Su was only a bit pale, but looked no worse for wear compared to Rhode, "Well, you were in trouble. I had to help." The daughter of Demeter said strongly, "That…and I don't have many terrible memories." She softly noted, getting a scowl from Rhode.

That damn thing just dredged up the most painful things in Rhode's life, things she wanted to leave behind…except for her most painful memory. The memory of the moment that she felt the most helpless. That was one thing she never wanted to forget. It was too important to her. Both because it was the last time she saw Thalia and also because it was a powerful reminder of why she needed to never allow herself to be like that again.

Noticing Rhode's melancholy mood, Su began talking, hoping to distract her friend. "I mean, sure sometimes I've run into scary things both because of Father's work and from being a demigod. But it wasn't too bad. I mean, the worse I've seen is a couple of bad guys ambush us and get their just deserts. Killed I mean. That's how I can see Thestrals by the way."

"Thestrals?" Rhode asked weakly. "Oh those skeletal horses."

"Right." Su continued babbling. "The ones that pull the carriages we take up to school from Hogsmeade station."

Rhode nodded, but still looked very unsettled. Desperate, Su's eyes roamed the cabin searching for some topic to continue the conversation and to distract her fellow demigoddess. Eying the discarded Chocolate Frogs, she asked, "So, um… What do you think we should have for dinner tonight? I mean, the Welcoming Feast always has all kinds of stuff we usually don't get, so want to try anything in particular?"

Shaking her head, Rhode said, "I think I'm just going to skip dinner tonight, I've lost my appetite. Thanks for trying to distract me, Su. I appreciate it."

"No problem. Are you feeling better?" Su asked concern clear in her voice.

"A little." Rhode said as reassuringly as she could under the circumstances.

"Good. Good." Su muttered relieved. "So you're really skipping the Feast?"

"Yeah. Like I said, I've lost my appetite." Rhode confirmed.

"Ok then." Su agreed sounding disappointed but accepting.

It was then that the train jerked forward and continued to Hogwarts, the conductor seemingly unaffected by the presence of a Dementor among the schoolchildren.

Rhode felt Su take her hand and squeeze it lightly, giving her that assuring little smile.

Rhode gave her a weak one in return.

* * *

After arriving at the castle, Rhode departed from the bustling crowd of students heading to the Feast, instead she headed up to her dorm to sleep her mood off. Before hitting the hay, though as she entered the room she noticed her invisibility cloak on her bed. That got a small smile as she stuffed it away and clocked out for the night.

As she slept, Rhode twisted and turned, sweat beading her forehead as once more, she found herself on that storming beach in her dreams.

The air was heavier, the winds were wilder than usual.

At least that dark voice wasn't there.

" **Back again?"** it asked chillingly.

 _I spoke too soon._ Scowling, Rhode snarled out, "Leave me alone!" she snapped.

" **So much anger. So wild and untamed."** It crooned, as if she was an interesting specimen at a zoo, or lab, that it was examining. **"I know what plagues you, child. That man, he who took away your chances as a child. He deserves all your anger, young one."**

Rhode's stiffness lessened, if only a fraction, but the voice seemed to notice.

" **Yes, you know the old saying…an eye for an eye. Why should you hold yourself to a higher standard?"** the voice asked, laced with pity, **"The gods march on their whims every day, but you? Why can you not do the same? Does he not deserve death and more for what he has done? Do you not deserve your own closure for what was so unjustly taken from you?"**

" **Your** _ **friends**_ **,"** The voice sneered the word, **"say you need to be better than him. That you should not take justice into your own hands, but when have they been in your shoes? Never. When have their precious divine parents not done so? Only when it suited them not to! Listen not to them, child. Instead, embrace your anger and let it judge the man. Let him suffer your righteous wrath! Let yourself be** _ **free!**_ **Free from the disapproving stares of those who could not even** _ **hope**_ **to understand your sufferings!"**

As Rhode listened to the voice, the more and more she agreed with it. It was correct the last time, right? The gods did try to kill her.

Sirius Black _did_ deserve her wrath.

"You're right."

She could literally hear the smile behind the voice.

" **Yes, yes I am."**

And once more, Rhode was swallowed by the storm, waking up.

* * *

It was the first day of classes and Rhode had Care for Magical Creatures near the Forbidden Forest first thing in the morning, joy.

On the way there, Ron filled her in on the news she'd missed because she skipped the Feast. The only important bit, in her opinion, was about the Dementors. Apparently they had been sent by the Ministry of Magic to help capture Black. Fat lot of good they did, since they didn't manage to find hide nor hair of the man if the rumor mill was to be believed, and only managed to scare the living daylights out of a whole bunch of schoolkids. Despite that though, the Ministry seemed to think having them patrol the school perimeter was a good idea. The whole Ministry were a bunch of idiots! Seriously! If Black could escape _out of_ that jail-thing he got stuck in then what made them think a bunch of floating dirty laundry could keep him from getting _into_ the school, especially since _apparently_ no one seemed to noticed the other stuff, like Quirrelmort!

Though she'd been mildly confused as to why the Ministry seemed so sure Black was coming to Hogwarts. Sure, Black was apparently targeting her, but the guy couldn't be that stupid as to try to break into the castle right? It _was_ supposed to be one of the most well defended places in Wizarding Britain. On the other hand, he did already manage the impossible and escape from one of the other places with a similar reputation. But there were plenty of other opportunities to get to her and probably plenty of other things crazy dark wizards can do besides trying to sneak into a school to kill a schoolgirl after all.

Thinking about the merits of Black getting into Hogwarts put her into a bad mood, one which only worsened when she got to Care,only to discover that the Hagrid guy had ended up becoming a teacher and was taking over the class. Rhode was very weary of that fact since the giant of a man had the 'brilliant' idea to raise a dragon in his _wooden_ hut.

It turned out they were going to learn about Hippogriffs, which didn't improve her mood any because they were sort of jerks. How did she know this? She could understand them. See, they were the back half of a horse and the front of an eagle type of hybrid. Another brilliant drunk idea between Poseidon and Zeus no doubt. Her dad really needed to stop getting drunk with his brothers, strange things happened from it. Since they were part horse, she could understand what they say.

The biggest jerk of the lot was the one Hagrid called Buckbeak.

Apparently, like how pegasi are more aligned with Poseidon. Hippogriffs were more aligned with Zeus.

Go figure.

Anyway, back to the class. Hagrid wanted someone to fly up on one of the hippogriffs. And since Rhode didn't trust flying on anything but a pegasus, she kind of nudged Ron forward. After an awkward bow, Ron flew off on the thing, looking like a frightened cat. Soon, groups were matched up with a hippogriff.

Malfoy ended up with Buckbeak. He did what was his strong suit, shoot his mouth off. Best part was, Buckbeak attacked him for the slight and cut Malfoy's arm.

Rhode smiled at that.

The class pretty much ended after that, as Hagrid had the sense to rush Malfoy up to Madam Pomfrey. Which was too bad in Rhode's opinion, as she wanted to see more cocky idiots get themselves injured by being their 'charming' selves.

After parting with Ron, who had Divination, it was time for Ancients Runes.

Good part was, Su was there with her.

Bad part was, so was Granger.

* * *

Rhode met up with Su at the entrance to the Ancient Runes classroom.

"Morning, Su." Rhode greeted cheerfully with a smile.

"Morning, Rhode! You're cheerful all of a sudden." Su questioned as she returned the greeting.

"Well, I just saw Malfoy get mauled. So of course I'm happy." She answered. "It made my day."

"You shouldn't take pleasure in other people's suffering like that, Rhode." Su said as she tried to give her friend a disapproving look at that, but her barely suppressed smile gave her away.

"But it's Malfoy." Rhode mocked whined. Su burst into giggles at that. It was in this cheerful mood that the two demigoddesses entered the classroom.

Looking around, Rhode saw lines of texts scattered about on shelves while on the walls hung scrolls of letters she didn't recognize. There was even a large slab of rock on a pedestal nearby that held white writing on it.

"Rhode," Su gushed, "That's a copy of the Rosetta Stone!" she squealed in delight.

"Seriously?"

"Of course!" Su nodded feverishly, "It helped mortals learn Ancient Greek again. And other languages as well."

"Huh, cool."

As expected Granger was already there, sitting at the very front of the class. Always trying to be a teacher's pet that girl. Both Greeks gave her a wide berth and sat right at the back.

Su and Rhode were amongst the last few to arrive, class was set to start in only a few minutes, and Professor Babbling was already up by the front of the class waiting.

"Take your seats and settle down everyone." The old woman said. She was wearing lemony yellow robes that had script words written on it, and she had thinning white hair in a messy bun and wire framed glasses that covered kind brown eyes. "Class is about to begin."

Babbling waited for the class to settle down before she continued. "Now ladies and gentlemen, you lot have chosen to join me in studying the fascinating art of runic magic. For that I offer you my sincerest welcome."

"That said, we won't be covering any content today. Instead, we'll be going over the curriculum for the course, so that you can have idea as to what to expect. So that you can prepare ahead if you so choose. Something I dearly advise. Or for those of you still undecided on your decision to join this elective to help you make sure your final decision will be an informed one. Now then, please take out some parchment and your quills, and take down what I have to say."

The Professor waited as the class followed her instructions. A couple of Gryffindors started roughhousing as they did, but she put a stop to it quickly by snapping off a pair of stinging jinxes that had the misbehaving students jumping in their seats to their embarrassment and the amusement of the rest of the class. As the laughter died down, Babbling picked off where she left off.

"Let's start with a year by year overview." She said as she turned to blackboard at the front of the class and started to write down what she was saying. "This year we'll focus on learning the runes themselves. Basically we will be learning the Nordic language. This will help to build a foundation that will allow us to move forward more easily."

Su and Rhode looked at each other, interested in this aspect of another Pantheon.

"Next year, we'll begin learning the basics of actual runic magic. Things like how to empower runes. The mechanics behind rune carving. Or in other words, the dos and don'ts when carving. Besides the basic magics, which will be study throughout the year, we'll also begin covering the creation and use of runic strings, the combination of multiple runes together, later in that year. Because of time constraints I expect we'll probably only get as far as the use of some basic words or at best some simple sentences."

"In fifth year, we'll finish off our study of Nordic runes by mastering the use of full, complex sentences in runic magic. And of course a healthy dose of revision in preparation for your O.W.L.s. Any questions so far?"

Granger raised her hand at this and when the Professor acknowledged her, asked. "Professor, are we only covering Nordic runes?"

"For the O.W.L.s? Yes." Babbling confirmed. "If you want to learn more you'll have to take the course up till the N.E.W.T.S level. Only then will you have a chance to learn other languages like Latin, Greek and even Egyptian."

No one else raised their hands. Most of the class were still too busy trying to digest what Babbling had said so far.

"No other questions?" Babbling asked as she gave the class a look over. "Well, if that's the case then let's go over the curriculum in more detail."

This was met by some groans which the Professor ignored as she turned back to the board. "Now, for the rest of this term, we'll cover…"

As Babbling continued to outline, in truly exceptional detail, what she intended to cover over the next three years of classes, both Su and Rhode dutifully took down notes. Rhode couldn't speak for her friend but she was fascinated. Even though they weren't actually starting the content until the next lesson, just going over the curriculum was an eye-opener. The many things that the class was going to cover, especially in fourth and fifth year when they actually starting doing actual runic magic were amazing. Rhode couldn't wait to try it out!

* * *

Later that week, Rhode had her first DADA lesson with Lupin. All were curious to know if he actually knew his stuff, or if he would be a joke like the past two years of DADA professors.

Well, sparingly, he did know his stuff. At least if his first lesson was anything to go by. In it, the class had to deal with something called a Boggart. A creature that lived in enclosed spaces, like a closet, or a cabinet. Anyway, it never showed someone its true form and would always end up looking like your worst fear.

Now, Rhode didn't really know what she was afraid of and was curious. So once everyone had their turn at it, she went up, only for Lupin to stop her. That earned him a few bad points in her book, but oh well, at least he was competent enough.

* * *

A few days after the DADA lesson, Rhode was currently reading a book for Ancient Runes. She had to admit it, next to Charms class, Ancient Runes was her favorite class. It was rather exciting and just drew her interest.

Babbling might not be actually teaching them how to work those runes yet, choosing instead to focus on the basics of the language that they were a part of to build a firm foundation for later learning, but she'd also actively encouraged them to check it out in their free time. She did warn though, not to actually try activating any runes without supervision. Even without that last step though, just reading up on what runes could do was incredibly fun.

Rhode was just going through some of the beginner applications of the runes she was learning, when the door to the Room of Requirement opened and the daughter of the sea turned to see Su, entering with a new stack of books from the library. Rhode got up and took half of the stack for her friend.

"Thank you, Rhode." Su breathed out, placing the books down.

"No prob, Su," Rhode smiled as she piled the books on the table and went back to her book.

Su, interested, peeked over, "What are you doing?"

"Self-study. Ancient Runes." Rhode answered, scribbling something down.

When she didn't get a reply, the scion of the ocean turned to see Su looking at her with an expression of pleasant surprise, "Um, Su? Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Oh, Rhode!" Su beamed and hugged her friend tightly, "I'm so proud of you! Taking your studies seriously!" she gushed.

Rhode let out a whine, "That's just mean! I can take my studies seriously. Now let me go!"

"I'll never let go of this memory!" Su replied teasingly.

Rhode colored at that, "I-Idiot!" she stammered out, trying to pull away from the vice-grip that was Su Li.

The door opened once more, "Hey, you guys here…" Lee trailed off seeing them, "...I'll leave you two alone." he said, exiting promptly and closing the door behind him with a click.

"Lee! You traitor! Help me!" A flustered Rhode shouted.

"I'm so proud!" Su added honestly as she let go.

"Su!" Rhode said exasperatedly. "Did you have to overreact like that?"

"Nope!" Su admitted with a giggle. "But it was fun. Besides, I don't get the chance to tease you often. That said, I am happy that you've taken such an interest in Ancient Runes."

Rhode just pouted at her. "You make it sound like I never take my studies seriously."

"Do you?" Su challenged.

"Of course I do." Rhode said affronted. "I mean, sure, I don't take it as seriously as you do or even Lee, but I don't want to flunk my classes or anything."

Su, a little taken aback by Rhode's defensiveness, replied in a soft voice, "Sorry. I know that. I was just teasing."

Rhode huffed. "Just don't do it again, okay?"

"I won't. I promise." Su agreed solemnly. "I'll even go hunt down Lee to correct the idiot before he jumps to some silly conclusion about what he saw earlier, okay?"

"Thanks. People keep putting me down when it comes to school, you know? I'm getting tired of it." Rhode confessed. "And thanks for volunteering to deal with Lee."

Looking guilty, Su pulled Rhode into another hug. "Don't listen to those bullies, Rhode. They don't know any better. I study with you all the time and I know you're a great student."

"Thanks, Su." Rhode said softly as she graced her with a pretty smile, "You're a great friend."

"You good?" Su asked, and upon receiving a nod turned to leave. "Then I best go catch Lee before he has the time to spread rumors about us or something. If not, the whole school will think we're dating by tomorrow."

"Good luck." Rhode said, giving Su a light shove towards the door. "Considering how much of a gossip he can be, you'll need it for both our sakes."

"True." Su said with a smile. "Well, I'm off. Hopefully, I'll be back soon and we can study together, okay?"

"That sounds good." Rhode answered. "Now get going already!"

With a light laugh, Su sped off in pursuit of their loose lipped friend. Shaking her head at the whole debacle, mini-fight and potential reputation ruining gossip both, Rhode turned back to her books and the exciting runes within.

* * *

**Annabeth POV**

September passed on by quickly and it was already the middle of October. Annabeth had been happily lounging around in her cabin, killing time by playing with Zaha, her Puffskein, when Rhode had I.M.-ed her to chat.

" _And then I might have, sorta, lit his pants on fire. By complete accident of course."_ Rhode told Annabeth through the I.M. She was lounging in the Room of Requirement, she think it was called. From the looks of it she had been doing some of her mortal homework, but decided she needed a well-deserved break.

"…I don't think you can accidently set someone's pants on fire."Annabeth frowned as she was cuddling Zaha.

" _Oh please, that whining baby Malfoy deserved it."_ Rhode snorted. Since getting injured, Malfoy was milking it to be far worse than the cut he literally got. So Rhode, in her unique way, decided to bring him back down to earth and pop his big head.

Annabeth just shook her head, only Rhode would do something like that.

"Anyway, I have to go see Chiron about something."Annabeth smiled, "It was great talking to you, Rhode."

Rhode gave her a small smile, _"Same Bethy, I'll see you soon."_ She promised.

Annabeth's smile grew as she waved her hand through the rainbow, ending the I.M. She put Zaha on her bunk and proceeded to head for the Big House.

Annabeth waved to her friends as she passed them and bounded up the steps of the Big House. She opened the door and poked her head in, making sure not to run into Mr. D, he was sort of a jerk.

She was about to call out for Chiron, but heard voices. Ever curious, Annabeth slinked on in, walking quietly. She turned a corner to see Chiron working at his desk.

And what she heard next would haunt her nightmares for years to come.

" _A half-blood of the eldest gods_

_Shall reach sixteen against all odds."_

A door creaking distracted Annabeth who worried it might have been Mr D. catching her eavesdropping. When she realized it wasn't, she quickly returned to listening. This sounded important.

" _A single choice shall end his days_

_Olympus to preserve or raze."_

Chiron's voice was solemn and frustrated at the same time, "Blast it all." He said, looking through some scrolls, "Why now?" he asked himself, rubbing his eyes, "The gods are more on edge than ever before…and with Rhode around…" he trailed off with a worried look.

Annabeth, realizing she had just heard something she shouldn't have, moved backwards, only to bumped into the blond haired and hundred eyed Argus, the head of camp security, "Uff!"

"Who's there?" Chiron thundered as Annabeth went to run, but Argus grabbed her shoulder.

"Hey!" Annabeth tried to move, but Argus' grip was like a vice as he wagged a finger at her.

Chiron wheeled on out and upon seeing Annabeth, his face paled, "Oh by Olympus." He murmured, before growing a hundred times more serious, his eyes burning with intensity, "Annabeth, what did you hear?" he questioned her. There was a steel edge to his voice, the kind of tone he would use on campers that were bad.

Annabeth had never been on the receiving end before. So, she decided to be honest.

"Some of it. I got distracted in the middle." She admitted, but after hearing the lines, hundreds of questions came to mind, "Chiron, what's this have to do with Rhode? Why are the gods edgy? What does that mean about Olympus preserved or razed? And can Argus let go of me?" she rambled off.

Chiron gestured for Argus to let Annabeth go, which he did, and then said, "Annabeth, we must have a serious discussion. Come in." he pointed to his office and Annabeth nodded.

Annabeth would remember that talk with Chiron for the rest of her life. She would recall with perfect detail every word Chiron said, every expression he made as he demanded she keep what she heard a secret. Especially from Rhode. She would be able to bring to mind with perfect clarity how she felt as he explained the need for secrecy. The helplessness, the anger, the worry, and the determination. She might not have been able to tell Rhode, for fear of placing yet another burden on her shoulders, but the young blonde would be ready to help her should this so-called Great Prophecy proved to be about her as Chiron feared.

* * *

It was the day before Halloween and at breakfast everyone in her year was giddily talking about their first trip to Hogsmeade tomorrow. McGonagall had just taken their permission slips at the start of the meal, so it was fresh on everyone's minds. Rhode was curious herself and wondered what she could buy around there.

She and Ron were talking in the Great Hall about it when suddenly Dean walked over to them, looking very nervous.

"Hi, Rhode." He waved in greeting.

Rhode smiled at him, "Hey Dean, sup?" she asked frowning, "You okay, you look…kinda sick." She noted.

Dean swallowed heavily, wiping his hands on his robes, "I was, uh, wondering if we could talk?"

"Sure." Rhode answered.

Dean cut his eyes to Ron, who blinked, "Alone?" he added.

It was then Ron understood and got up, going over to his sister. Dean sat down where Ron once sat and gave a nervous smile. His eyes cut to Seamus, who gave him a thumbs up. He turned back, staring Rhode right in the eyes.

"So, Hogsmeade's tomorrow. Are you going?" he asked.

Rhode nodded, "Yeah, sounds interesting."

Dean swallowed again, looking like a nervous wreck, "So, maybe, we could go together?" he asked, a hopeful look on his face.

Rhode cocked her head, "Yeah, sure." She nodded and smiled, "We can bring Su and the others with us too."

Dean bit his lip, "No, I mean, just… _us_." He pointed to Rhode then himself.

Rhode furrowed her brow, it took her a few seconds to register his words, "Wait, you mean…like a…"

"Date. Yeah." Dean nodded, looking as stiff as plywood.

She tried her best, but Rhode couldn't fight the dumbfounded look on her face.

"Uuuh…" Rhode intelligently answered. This was something new. Sure, she got all those Valentine Cards, but those were just stupid. Looking at Dean, he was basically one of her few good guy friends here at Hogwarts. She didn't pay much attention to the way he looked before now, but now that she did, she did note he was kinda…cute?

"Sure?" she said somewhat uncertainly, the whole thing was just confusing her, and Dean lit up like a beacon.

"Really?" He rushed out, a large smile on his face.

"Yeah." Rhode said with more confidence this time and Dean whooped, bolting out of his seat and returning to his previous one.

Rhode on the other hand was stumped.

What do you do on a date?

So, she got up and went to seek counsel.

"And that's what happened." Rhode told Su at the Ravenclaw table, "So, what do I do?"

"Why are you asking me?" Su said, a gentle flush on her face.

"You're a girly-girly. So, you know stuff like this, right?" Rhode asked.

"That's stereotyping." Su said with a cute pout, "And I don't know anything about boys!" she said in a whisper.

Rhode clicked her tongue. If not Su, then who could she ask for help?

"Why not try I.M.-ing Emily after lunch?" Su suggested, reading her thoughts.

"Su!" she pulled her friend into a quick, but strong, hug, "You're a genius!"

The wait until lunch and the chance to I.M. Emily was excruciating. The whole time Rhode couldn't get the idea of the date out of her mind, so much so she barely remembered anything from her morning classes. Her stomach felt like it was doing dolphin flips the whole morning. She had to munch on her Skittles stash just to try and calm down. Hopefully, Su wouldn't mind lending her her notes for those classes.

By the time lunch rolled around, Rhode was so hyped up about the date thing she decided to skip lunch altogether and instead bolted off to the Room of Requirement to make her call.

Using the rainbow crystal that the Room provided, she quickly I.M.-ed Emily. The image shifted until she saw the daughter of love asleep in a bed. The background piqued her interest, it was Gaige's laboratory, but she quickly dismissed it in order to focus on her more pressing concerns.

"Pst, Emily." Rhode whispered loudly.

The pretty blonde mumbled and rolled around, _"Who is it?"_

"Rhode!"

That jolted the daughter of love. Emily turned around and blinked blurry blue eyes at the image, _"Rhode?"_ she slurred out a bit.

"Hi." the daughter of Poseidon waved.

Rubbing her eyes, Emily sat up, her blanket pooling around her waist, giving Rhode the sight of Gaige with her pigtails down while sleeping next to the taller girl in the same bed.

" _Do you have any idea what time it is?"_

"Sixish?"

Emily grumbled, _"What's up? Something wrong? It has to be important if you I.M.-ed me even knowing how early it is over here."_

Rhode shuffled where she sat, "I, um, I need some advice. See, this guy asked me out-"

" _And…"_ Emily drawled before her mind abruptly registered the words and she snapped to full alertness with a shout of, _"What?!"_

" _Ah!"_ Gaige cried out, falling off the bed at her girlfriend's shout. _"Cupcakes! We're under attack! Get the orbital laser ready!"_

" _GG, shush, Rhode got asked out!"_

" _Ugh, tell her to get asked out later! We were cuddling."_ the Mechromancer whined.

" _Silence!"_ Emily said with vigor, _"Rhode is growing up, I must help her on her quest of dating!"_

" _Fine!"_ Gaige groaned, crawling back into bed, _"Quest, then we cuddle."_

" _Then we cuddle."_ Emily nodded and turned back to Rhode, stars in her eyes, _"Now, details!"_

So Rhode told her everything.

" _I see. I see."_ Emily said in a knowing voice. _"Well, seeing as it sounds like he was incredibly nervous, I'm willing to bet this is his first date too. If so, then here's a few things you can do…"_

With that the daughter of love began a lecture that lasted the rest of Rhode's lunch break on what Rhode could do to make the date great. Gaige helped too, a little, by dropping the odd comment, though she sounded like she did so mainly to hurry things along so she could get back to her snuggle time. Rhode didn't mind though since she was kinda intruding on their private time.

The talk with Emily, and to a less helpful extent Gaige, had helped her calm down somewhat. At least she knew some of what to expect on a date now. But literally minutes after ending the I.M. with the couple, she'd realized that there was something she'd missed. Sure her fellow demigoddesses gave her plenty of useful advice about dating in general but nothing about dating a _boy_. I mean the two were both girls, right? So what did they know about dating a boy? There had to be something different about it, right? So finding she still needed advice the young teenager sought the one person at Hogwarts, other than Su who had already said she couldn't help her on this front, that she trusted enough to help her with her romantic problems: Penelope Clearwater.

Tracking Penelope down was easy. She'd just headed up to Ravenclaw tower and told the dorm's guardian, an animated eagle shaped door knocker, that she wanted to see her. Thankfully Penelope was in, she was anxious enough as is, having to track her down in the labyrinth of a school would have pushed her over the edge of her tolerance most likely.

"You wanted to see me, Rhode?" Penelope asked kindly as she exited the dorm.

"Yeah, there are some things I want to ask you." Rhode began nervously. "About um… you know..." Looking around quickly to make sure no one was around to eavesdrop, the demigod finished in a hushed whisper. "Umm… boys and dating and stuff."

Penelope looked stunned by this for a moment. Seeing her look, Rhode quickly tried to backtrack. "Err.. That's if, you know, you want to. If you don't…"

"Of course, I want to." Penelope cut in. "I did say you could talk to me about this anytime didn't I?"

Rhode nodded, too embarrassed to speak.

"Well then, why don't we go to some place more private and we can talk there. Alright?" Penelope said reassuringly as she ushered Rhode down the corridor.

The duo eventually found their way to an empty classroom where after Penelope put up some basic wards, at Rhode's insistence, the scion of the sea began telling her older friend everything. Like Emily and Gaige before her, Penelope gave her a whole host of advice on how to make the date a success. But added on the most useful tip of all, "Relax and just enjoy yourself." After all, the older girl explained if she was so tense and worried about making the date a blast, then she'd likely just work herself up so much that she wouldn't be able to really enjoy it.

Rhode took that advice to heart, but also made it a point to push for ways to make the date fun for the guy too. She had after all, not been able to get any tips about that from her friends back at camp. On this front, Penelope had been helpful too. Offering plenty of suggestions on how to get the guy to relax and enjoy things too. After talking to Penelope for about an hour, Rhode finally felt somewhat ready for the date. After exchanging goodnights with her friend and receiving a "good luck", the young demigoddess trooped off to bed, where despite her continued anxiety and excitement her body exhausted from all the worrying she'd done the whole day betrayed her to the grasp of Morpheus the moment her head hit the pillow.

* * *

Hogsmeade was labeled a village for a reason, there were little thatched cottages and shops all around. There was a post office, a joke shop, a sweets shop, heck, there was even a bar! Scratch that, there were two. But that was about it.

One of those two bars even had an idiotic name. Seriously who called a pub Hogs Head?

Honestly, magicals.

Shaking her head, Rhode tried to stay focused as she was walking around the village with Dean. She was wearing her shark earrings along with a nice skirt she got at camp mixed with her uniform. They had only made small talk so far, but it was clear as day that they were both nervous, but the daughter of the sea was better at masking that fact. She did have a tough girl image to maintain after all.

"H-How about we go to the Three Broomsticks? We could get some butterbeer." Dean suggested as he rubbed his arms from the late October chill, "Right nippy it is." He looked at Rhode, "Aren't you cold?"

"Nope."

The boy looked mildly surprised, "Seriously?"

Rhode shrugged her shoulders, she was wearing Thalia's jacket, "The cold never bothered me anyway."

"I see." Dean said as they continued their nice walk around Hogsmeade.

"So, about that butterbeer…"

"Let's go." Dean said and shyly reached out to take her hand. Rhode didn't fight him about it, in fact, she could feel her cheeks heat up a little. It seemed that gave the boy some confidence as they went to the pub and inn which was filled with familiar faces in their year and those in older ones.

They sat down at a small table and ordered two butterbeers. While they waited, Dean decided to make small talk, "So, how was your summer? That place you live at in the States doubles as a camp in the summer, right?"

Rhode nodded, "Yeah. I did the usual summer camp stuff. Horse riding, races, rock wall climbing, arts and crafts. You know, that kind of stuff."

"Sounds cool," Dean smiled, "Hey, you think I could go some time?"

Rhode felt awkwardness wash over her, "Oh, um, I'm not entirely sure, Dean. It's very exclusive, you see." she rushed out. At seeing his frown, she quickened her explanation, "See, this place is like some old magical families thing. You need to be related to so and so, or something like that." she finished lamely.

"Oh." Dean nodded, a smaller frown on his face.

Seeing this, Rhode changed topics, "So, how has your art been going?"

At this Dean beamed, making the demigod inwardly relax. Finally, something they could talk about without being all nervous.

Dean's art style was more a New York City street artist, little body, big head kind of thing. As they dished out their newest works, their butterbeers arrived and each happily sipped the foamy warm drink.

"So," Dean said, wiping his lips, "I hear there's this amazing sweets place. It's called Honeydukes," he told her, "Want to see it?" he asked, going for another sip of his drink.

"Where did you hear about it? From the twins?" Rhode said with a dubious look.

Dean chuckled sheepishly, "Well, I heard it from other older students too." he confessed, "Want to see it?"

Rhode took another swig of her butterbeer. "Sure, why not?" she grinned, getting an ecstatic look from Dean.

"Great!" Dean smiled as they continued their drink, "So, um, how's your other elective going? Ancient Runes, right?" he asked her curiously.

Rhode's smile quickened his pulse as she said, "Yup! And it's awesome!" she beamed, "I mean, learning the language is tough, but with some effort I've really gotten far, or at least, that's what Babbling says. Su's the one that's really helped me out. She was thrilled I'm taking a class seriously for once." she laughed.

"That's nice," Dean admitted, "I took Muggle Studies, wanted to see how they see us."

"Huh, that's cool." The daughter of Poseidon finished her drink and said, "So, ready to hit the sweets shop?"

"Yeah." he said standing up, "Just let me pay for these."

"I can pitch in," Rhode said, pushing her seat back to stand up, but Dean waved her off.

"No no, I asked you out, I should pay." Dean insisted.

Rhode gave a small frown at that, "Well, if you're sure…"

"I am," the tall boy nodded, "Be right back." he said, heading for the bar counter.

Rhode waited for him and they headed for Honeydukes. They shopped around for a bit until their pockets and bags were brimming with sugary treats.

"Ok, I'm all stocked up with goodies." Rhode said happily, as the couple exited the candy store together. "You good?"

"Yup." Dean replied equally pleased with his bag of snacks. "So sightseeing? What do you want to see first?"

"Hmm… I don't know. What's famous around here?" Rhode pondered aloud.

"Not much to be honest." Dean admitted. "At least compared to a muggle city. But there is the Shrieking Shack. Supposedly it's the most haunted building in the whole country."

"That's it?" Rhode gasped. "Sad."

"I know, right." Dean agreed. "But that's the way it is. Still want to see it?"

"Sure. Might as well." Rhode reluctantly said. "It's not like we're spoiled for choice."

"True." Dean admitted with a laugh.

With that the two young teens walked off happily towards the only sorry excuse for a tourist attraction that the village offered.

"So how's Babbling? That's the name of the Ancient Runes Professor, right?" Dean asked, continuing their lighthearted banter.

"She's great." Rhode answered. "She's demanding. But fair. I like her. What about the Muggle Studies Professor? What's her name by the way?"

"Charity Burbage." Dean supplied. "And well… All I can say is that she's enthusiastic. Not very knowledgeable about the muggle world though."

"Then how did she become the Muggle Studies Professor?" Rhode questioned puzzled.

"Haven't a clue." Dean said with a shrug. "But if I had to guess, I'd say it's because the rest of the Wizarding World is even more clueless and doesn't know that she's not up to scratch."

"I can buy that." Rhode replied, nodding in agreement. "The Wizarding World is soooo backwards. I mean I'd bet they don't even realize the mort… err… I mean muggles have put a man on the moon."

"I wouldn't go that far." Dean countered. "I mean, sure, plenty of them probably are ignorant enough to not know that. But surely the higher ups know, right? I mean they have to deal with the muggle government, right?"

Rhode snorted. "Yeah, but you know how magicals can be. I'd bet they look down on the muggle government too. Completely missing the point that the only reason they're in hiding is because the muggles could wipe them out easily. That's why they went into hiding in the first place after all!"

"Yeah." Dean agreed. "I figured that out too. Did you notice though that History of Magic doesn't spell that out? And I don't mean Binns doesn't mention it. We all know how he's like. I mean the textbook, heck even the reference books in the library don't either."

"I noticed. They all have stupid explanations for the wizards going into hiding like not wanting to solve all the muggles's problems for them with magic or something. Total bullshit if you asked me." Rhode said scathingly.

"Oh look. We're here." Dean announced.

They finally arrived at the Shrieking Shack. It was more broken down then some of the safe houses she and her family would use while roaming the east coast. Its windows were boarded up, and the door looked like it would be blown off its hinges in a strong wind. Dust even wafted off the place, from under the door and all the gaps in the sorry excuse for a building, in the light breeze.

"Wow," Rhode squinted her eyes, "Not much of a sight."

"Yeah, but, they say they hear screaming from the inside during the night." Dean told her.

"And you believe them? After what we were just talking-" Rhode was interrupted mid-sentence as from the shadows of the dilapidated house, six glistening black scorpions scampered out, each the size of her hand.

Rhode tensed, "Dean," she said in a serious tone, "Stay back."

"Wha, what's wrong?" he asked.

Rhode slapped her wrist, making the shield of Achilles come to life. With another deft motion, she summoned Spellbound and got into a defensive position, "Just stay back, please!" she said and inwardly cursed. She knew these monsters. Pit Scorpions. From her lesson on them, they could jump fifteen feet in the air and one hit from their stinger would kill her in exactly one minute. She may have gotten a handle on water healing, but there was no way she could heal something that extreme.

One leapt at her and Rhode blocked a stinger with her shield, quickly cutting it in half, "Come on! It's my first date! Can't you guys give me a break? Just this once?" she glowered as she jabbed with her trident, getting another one.

The remaining monsters just snapped their pincers at her, their mouth parts clapping threateningly, "Gods, you guys suck sea cucumbers." she backpedalled from another two jumpers and her grip slid down the the end of her trident, swinging it in a wide arch, slashing the two in half.

Throughout the fight, Dean was freaking out. Or at least that's what Rhode thought as she observed him out of the corner of her eye for a moment. She didn't know what he was seeing. For all she knew, he could be seeing her being attacked by some demon Chihuahua. But whatever it was, it was having quite the effect on him. His face was deathly pale and he was almost frozen stiff. Thankfully, he wasn't running away screaming or otherwise drawing attention. Things would be a lot more messy to cover up if he was.

Refocusing her attention on the fight, she fixed her grip to the center of her weapon and rested her trident on the brim of her shield, sliding it forward, stabbing another monster in the face. And another bit the dust. She grabbed her wand with her shield bearing arm from the holster up her left sleeve. Doing so meant her shield was out of position and left her open for a moment, something the last scorpion noticed and tried to capitalize on by launching itself right at her. Unfortunately for the monster, Rhode was ready and cast an Incendio, setting it on fire.

As the last monster went back to Tartarus, extra smoky, she dismissed her shield, and holstered her wand.

"Finally." Rhode sighed as she changed Spellbound back into its spyglass form. With a sigh, she tossed the item in the air and with a flash, she felt its familiar weight in her pocket once more. As she turned to face her date, she missed the top of the trees rustling.

A feral looking woman with bird feet and feathered wing-like arms silently hissed in Rhode's direction.

"Dean, you ok?" Rhode asked, concern lacing her every word.

"Ok?" Dean replied, clearly still out of it.

"Yeah. Are you hurt?" Rhode repeated her question.

"No. No." Dean said slowly.

"Good. So…" Rhode trailed off uncertainly. For a long moment, the duo just stood there in an uncomfortable silence.

A silence broken a few minutes later by Dean's sudden exclamation of: "What just happened!?"

Rhode just remained silent, not knowing how to answer. Not that she needed to say anything since Dean had started ranting, the stress of the situation finally getting to him.

"One minute, we're having a nice stroll and then we're attacked! By some kinda bug? And why can't I remember what it was or even how it looked like clearly? And then, and then… You suddenly whip out some fancy set of weapons and go all Wonder Woman on the things. And, and… Just what the hell is going on here!?"

Rhode was inwardly panicking, she didn't know how to deal with this. Sadly, only one thing came to mind.

"Dean, Dean!" Rhode snapped, getting his attention, "Just, look at me. Okay? Stay focused on me." she said and the boy did so. She brought up her hand, "I'm...honestly sorry about this." the demigoddess said with sincerity. Her thumb and middle finger met and audibly snapped, at the same time a strong wind rushed by. Dean stiffened as the power of the Mist exerted its influence on his mind.

In the end, Rhode had to use so much Mist to get Dean to forget about what happened that he ended up practically a robot, and not in a good way like Penny. Sure, he forgot about the monsters and everything, but he was so out of it that she had to guide him all the way back to the castle. She just hoped it was only temporary. Chiron, in her lessons, had said the Mist even when used heavily left no lasting damage but Rhode was still worried. She could only wonder what events replaced the ones she wiped. Rhode hoped that Dean would at least remember their date.

* * *

The Great Hall had been decorated with hundreds and hundreds of candle-filled pumpkins, a cloud of fluttering live bats, and many flaming orange streamers, which were swimming lazily across the stormy ceiling like brilliant watersnakes.

The food was good, but Rhode was still stuffed from her date. Sure, Dean recovered, like Chiron's lessons said he would, but unfortunately the Mist apparently wasn't too happy about her using it the way she did. Or Hecate just hated her. Because the events that ended up replacing the fight with the Pit Scorpions was the two of them agreeing they had fun but that things weren't going to work out.

Rhode felt a slight stab of pain in her chest at that. She liked Dean, really. He was sweet and cute. But now Hecate got her friendzoned. The worst thing? She didn't even know what on earth put Dean off, since she didn't know what the Mist showed him. So she didn't even get the chance to learn what to avoid doing on dates from the whole experience either. After all, it wasn't like she could go up to Dean and say: "Hey Dean! Mind telling me what I said that made us break up? I don't remember!"

The feast finished with entertainment provided by the Hogwarts ghosts. Of course, that didn't do anything to lift her spirits as she glanced at Dean once in a while, seeing him chatting with Seamus. Maybe about how 'terrible' their date was. Groaning, Rhode just planted her forehead on the table, nearly going into some mash potatoes. Even Nearly Headless Nick's reenactment of his own botched beheading didn't distract her, despite how gross it was.

Rhode sullenly followed the rest of the Gryffindors along the usual path to Gryffindor Tower, but when they reached the corridor that ended with the portrait of the Fat Lady, they found it jammed with students. Rhode wondered why no one was going inside the common room? She just wanted to sleep this entire disaster of a day off.

"Let me through, please," came Percy's voice, and he came bustling importantly through the crowd. "What's the holdup here? You can't all have forgotten the password - excuse me, I'm Head Boy -"

And then a silence fell over the crowd, from the front first, so that a chill seemed to spread down the corridor. They heard Percy say, in a suddenly sharp voice, "Somebody get Professor Dumbledore. Quickly."

People's heads turned; those at the back were standing on tiptoe.

"What's going on?" asked Ron's little sister, Ginny, who had just arrived in a terrified whisper even as she pressed herself against her only friend, Granger, for comfort. She'd never been much for crowds.

A moment later, Dumbledore was there, sweeping towards the portrait; the Gryffindors squeezed together to let him through, and Rhode moved closer to see what the trouble was.

The daughter of Poseidon blinked in surprise at the sight.

The Fat Lady had vanished from her portrait, which had been slashed so viciously that strips of canvas littered the floor; great chunks of it had been torn away completely.

Dumbledore took one quick look at the ruined painting and turned, his eyes somber, to see McGonagall, Lupin, and Snape hurrying toward him.

"We need to find her," said Dumbledore. "Professor McGonagall, please go to Mr. Filch at once and tell him to search every painting in the castle for the Fat Lady."

"You'll be lucky!" Said a cackling voice.

It was Peeves the Poltergeist, bobbing over the crowd and looking delighted, as he always did, at the sight of wreckage or worry.

"What do you mean, Peeves?" said Dumbledore calmly, and Peeves' grin faded a little. He didn't dare taunt Dumbledore. Instead he adopted an oily voice that was no better than his cackle.

"Ashamed, Your Headship, sir. Doesn't want to be seen. She's a horrible mess. Saw her running through the landscape up on the fourth floor, sir, dodging between the trees. Crying something dreadful," he said happily. "Poor thing," he added unconvincingly.

"Did she say who did it?" said Dumbledore quietly.

"Oh yes, Professorhead," said Peeves, with the air of one cradling a large bombshell in his arms. "He got very angry when she wouldn't let him in, you see." Peeves flipped over and grinned at Dumbledore from between his own legs. "Nasty temper he's got, that Sirius Black."

Those around Rhode felt a sudden chill as mist escaped her lips, her sea green eyes akin to ice chips.

Her sad mood had morphed into one of frigid rage.

Her target had come to Hogwarts.

* * *

All four houses ended up sleeping in the Great Hall that night as the professors scoured the school for Black. Su sticked close by her, trying to lighten the daughter of the sea's wintry mood.

It wasn't that successful. Su's attempts and her own common sense had helped to calm Rhode enough to keep from her powers shrouding the whole castle in a giant fog bank, but the cyrokinetic was still pissed beyond measure. Something that was made obvious by the perpetual chill that settled around Rhode and her surroundings.

Lee was helping Rhode in his own way. He was sneaking around the sleeping bags, trying to get as much info from people as he could and eavesdrop on the professors talking about the situation. Apparently the staff was clueless on how Black even managed to get in.

The school talked of nothing but Sirius Black for the next few days. The theories about how he had entered the castle became wilder and wilder; Hannah Abbott, a Hufflepuff, spent much of their next Herbology class telling anyone who'd listen that Black could turn into a flowering shrub.

The Fat Lady's ripped canvas had been taken off the wall and replaced with the portrait of Sir Cadogan and his fat gray pony. Nobody was very happy about this. Sir Cadogan spent half his time challenging people to duels (Rhode usually told his pony to scat, and it did. Taking the stupid knight with him.), and the rest thinking up ridiculously complicated passwords, which he changed at least twice a day.

"He's a complete lunatic," said Seamus Finnigan angrily to Percy one night after enduring the crazy knight for a few days. "Can't we get anyone else?"

"None of the other pictures wanted the job," said Percy. "They're frightened of what happened to the Fat Lady. Sir Cadogan was the only one brave enough to volunteer."

Sir Cadogan, however, was the least of Rhode's annoyances. She was now being closely watched. Teachers found excuses to walk along corridors with her, and Percy Weasley (acting possibly on his girlfriend's orders) was tailing her everywhere like an extremely pompous guard dog. She was having none of it and had in fact given many of her followers the slip, even led some of the staff into embarrassing situations for annoying her so much.

Then there was McGonagall summoning Rhode to her office to tell her about Black being after her. The daughter of Poseidon flat out told the woman, "Duh." She knew all about who Black was. Rhode's reaction stunned the cat lady, who then lamely dismissed her. Seriously, did these magicals think she was completely ignorant or something? She wasn't the one stuck in the 19th century! And that was being generous!

* * *

The weather was banging like a drum outside, rain pelting the windows like gunfire. Normally this didn't bother Rhode, she was an all-weather girl. But Lee was going on about how the Gryffindor Quidditch team had to fly in this weather and how the Slytherin team, due to Malfoy's 'injury', bailed out of it. Honestly, the way he went on and on about it all morning was really annoying, so she tuned him out. Quidditch wasn't really her game. So she was immensely glad when classes started for the day and she could get away.

The weirdest thing was that when she got to DADA. There, sitting behind Lupin's desk, was Snape.

Frowning a bit, she sat down next to Ron as the gloomy professor stared at the class over his nose.

"Professor Lupin has taken ill today," Snape said with a twisted smile, "Nothing life-threatening," he said, looking as though he wished it were. "While looking around his desk, I've noticed that Professor Lupin has not left any record of the topics you have covered so far -"

"Please, sir, we've done Boggarts, Red Caps, Kappas, and Grindylows," said Granger quickly, "and we're just about to start -"

"Be quiet," said Snape coldly. "I did not ask for information. I was merely commenting on Professor Lupin's lack of organization."

"He's the best Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher we've ever had," said Dean boldly, and there was a murmur of agreement from the rest of the class. Snape looked more menacing than ever.

"You are easily satisfied. Lupin is hardly overtaxing you - I would expect first years to be able to deal with Red Caps and Grindylows. Today we shall discuss -"

Rhode watched him flick through the textbook, to the very back chapter, which he must know they hadn't covered.

"- werewolves," said Snape.

 _Huh, this suddenly got fun,_ Rhode smirked.

"But, sir," said Granger, seemingly unable to restrain herself, "we're not supposed to do werewolves yet, we're due to start Hinkypunks -"

"Miss Granger," said Snape in a voice of deadly calm, "I was under the impression that I am teaching this lesson, not you. And I am telling you all to turn to page 394." He glanced around again. "All of you! Now!"

With many bitter sidelong looks and some sullen muttering, the class opened their books.

"Which of you can tell me how we distinguish between the werewolf and the true wolf?" said Snape.

Everyone sat in motionless silence; everyone except Granger, whose hand, as it so often did, had shot straight into the air. Rhode on the other hand stayed quiet, but continued to smirk.

"Anyone?" Snape said, ignoring Granger. His twisted smile was back. "Are you telling me that Professor Lupin hasn't even taught you the basic distinction between -"

"We told you," said Parvati suddenly, "we haven't got as far as werewolves yet, we're still on -"

"Silence!" snarled Snape. "Well, well, well, I never thought I'd meet a third-year class who wouldn't even recognize a werewolf when they saw one. I shall make a point of informing Professor Dumbledore how very behind you all are..."

"Please, sir," said Granger, whose hand was still in the air, "the werewolf differs from the true wolf in several small ways. The snout of the werewolf -"

"That is the second time you have spoken out of turn, Miss Granger," said Snape coolly. "Five more points from Gryffindor for being an insufferable know-it-all."

Granger went very red, put down her hand, and stared at the floor with her eyes full of tears. It was a mark of how much the class loathed Snape that they were all glaring at him, because every one of them had called Granger a know-it-all at least once, and Ron usually did it at least twice a week. Then again, Ron had issues with Granger. Especially over how she'd turned his little sister into, in his own words, "her little pet".

Rhode was genuinely torn by this situation. On one hand, she wanted to jump on the bandwagon and put down the pest that Granger was. However, this was Snape who was doing the humiliating and she hated him too. _Hmm… Tough choice._ In the end though, what helped her make her decision was the fact that Snape was a teacher and was abusing his position of authority. If there was one thing she hated most, it was people, cough(Zeus)cough, who did just that!

Rhode rolled her eyes, "Seriously? How did someone like you become a teacher? You get off picking on kids?" she mocked the man, "You'd think the Old Goat would've fired you by now."

Everyone snapped their heads to Rhode, looking worried for her. They all knew how much she disrespected Snape, but she usually wasn't this brazen about showing it. Who knew how he'd respond?

Sure enough, Snape advanced on Rhode slowly. However, instead of the fury everyone expected, his expression was one of exasperated annoyance.

"Detention, Evans," Snape said silkily, his face very close to Rhode's. "And if I ever hear you criticize the way I teach a class again, you will be very sorry indeed." His words were harsh, but there was a strange undertone to them, they lacked the bite they should have.

"Well," Rhode said with a cocky grin, "I'll be sure to do it next Potions then." She wouldn't go to that detention just to spite the man, "Also, some advice. Breath mints." She stage whispered.

Students coughed loudly, no doubt trying to hide laughs and sniggers. Snape flared his nostrils, his black eyes glaring into Rhode's almond green eyes that just radiated defiance. This time the anger was real, she'd crossed a line apparently. But again in her departure with so much of her previous experiences with the man, Snape didn't explode. Instead, he took a breath and stood back up.

"That'll be _another_ detention, Potter." Snape said, for some reason reverting to calling her Potter. _Did he do that just because I pissed him off?_

"Now class," Snape said as he stalked back to the front of the class. "With those distractions dealt with, let us begin today's class. Today as I've said, we'll be covering werewolves…"

No one made a sound throughout the rest of the lesson. They just sat and made notes on werewolves from the textbook, while Snape prowled up and down the rows of desks, examining the work they had been doing with Lupin.

Or more accurately making Lupin and them look like idiots by making comments like, "Very poorly explained...That is incorrect, the Kappa is more commonly found in Mongolia...Professor Lupin gave this eight out of ten? I wouldn't have given it three..."

When the bell rang at last, Snape held them back.

"You will each write an essay, to be handed in to me, on the ways you can recognize and kill werewolves. I want two rolls of parchment on the subject, and I want them by Monday morning. It is time somebody took this class in hand. Potter, stay behind, we need to arrange your detention."

"Sorry, I'm busy." Rhode said, walking right out the door as Snape declared she just lost thirty points for her house.

Psh, like she honestly cared.

But she did know one thing.

Snape, he was very zealous over the whole werewolf thing.

She had to look into this.

* * *

"What happened?" Rhode asked as Su and Lee, looking like wet rats, entered the Room of Requirement, interrupting her work out. They had gone to the Quidditch game and she hadn't been expecting them to see them for another hour at least.

"Dementors attacked the stadium." Lee said, sipping some hot cocoa provided by the Room as he dried himself with a towel, "They came in a giant black wave!" he explained.

"It was dreadful." Su frowned, sipping some of the hot tea the Room had given her, trying to warm herself up. She looked rather shaken.

"Huh, glad I didn't go." Rhode said, continuing her pushups, sweat hanging from the tip of her nose. After three more, she got up, "There, three hundred's a good warm up." She said, rolling her shoulders.

"Training Nut." Lee said bluntly.

"Hey," Rhode glared at him, "I like to be in shape." She said, flexing her arm. Despite being only thirteen, she did have some lean muscles growing.

"I think it's perfectly fine, Rhode." Su said.

"Thank you." Rhode smiled at her friend.

"She _always_ takes your side." Lee pouted.

"That's because Su's awesome."

Su gave a shy smile at that.

"And I'm not?!"

Rhode just shrugged.

Lee hung his head, "Hurtful. And here I had some news you asked me about."

The daughter of Poseidon grew serious, "What do you have?"

Su looked between the two Gryffindors, "What's going on?"

"Lupin," Lee said, he himself gaining a serious visage, "He's a werewolf."

"What?!"/"You sure?"

"I'm sure." Lee said seriously. "It was pretty obvious, especially since Snape has been going around trying to subtly out the guy."

 _So that was what that lesson on werewolves was about!_ Rhode thought to herself as she recalled the DADA lesson Snape had done relief for Lupin. Although, he wasn't very...subtle. Essentially instructing every DADA class in the school, seeing as Lee got it too, to go research on werewolves did not fit _subtle._

Rhode took a seat, and taking a sip from the goblet of water that was provided to her at her mental request, "Should we take him out?" she asked coolly, a crisp professionalism in her features.

"I don't think so." Su said contemplatively. "I mean, if he's working here at Hogwarts then he'd to have passed the Ministry's security screenings first."

"Because Quirrell and What's-His-Face passed with flying colors." Rhode rolled her eyes at that, "You know that Old Goat has something up his sleeve if he's got Lupin here."

"Well, they tightened those up a lot after Lockhart." Su argued. "I mean no one knew about Quirrell, just that he disappeared. Dumbledore covered that all up, but Lockhart was very public. No way to get around that, after that happened people were almost rioting, demanding things were made stricter. It's why the Ministry is so heavy-handed about the whole Black thing. They screwed up with Lockhart and don't want to do the same now."

"Pah!" Rhode said dismissively. "You expect me to believe the bunch of wastes of space at the Ministry know what their doing? I mean, your dad and the people who work with him does, I guess. They did catch What's-his-name. But their bosses?"

"I know what you mean." Su grudgingly admitted. "Father is always complaining about the Minister and the other Department heads. He says the only good one is Amelia Bones, Head of the Aurors."

"Bones?" Rhode questioned. "Any relation to Susan from Hufflepuff?"

"Her aunt." Su explained. "Which is why when she says the new screenings are tight, I believe her. Susan would be in danger if they weren't. Besides, Father took a look at them and said they were good too."

"I'll trust you on that." Rhode finally conceded.

Lee was quiet throughout the debate, something very uncharacteristic of the usually loudmouthed son of Hermes. As such the girls turned to him in slight concern, "What's up?" the scion of the sea frowned, "Something on your mind?"

The son of the messenger nodded, "Yeah," Dampening his lips, Lee continued, "See, I snuck into the records room, you know, to find Lupin's records and such, took a few hours with how many students were here...but I stumbled onto something."

Their interest piqued, the girls ushered him to continue.

"Lupin, along with one Peter Pettigrew were tight buddies with James Potter...and Sirius Black."

Silence filled the Room as they soaked in that information.

"And that's why he's here," Rhode gritted out.

"He's known Black since his school days here, so Dumbledore brought him in if, or well, when, Black would show up." Su concluded.

"That and to try to curry favor with you, Rhode, I'd imagine." Lee added. "I mean, an old school friend of your parents suddenly becoming a Professor? Very suspicious."

"Not that its panned out." Rhode replied. "I barely talk to the guy."

"Maybe, but he's sent you quite a few odd looks since he got here." Lee revealed suddenly.

"What!?" Both girls shouted.

"Woah! I didn't mean those kind of odd looks." Lee said defensively. "I meant he's just been looking at Rhode longingly or wistfully whenever he thinks no one is paying attention." He paused for a moment to look at them, "Still, I swear, you complain about me, but your minds go straight to the gutter too."

The girls flushed brightly at that.

"And you didn't think to tell me?" Rhode hissed, despite her reddened cheeks.

"I wanted to find out why he was doing it first!" Lee hurriedly explained. "I didn't want you overreacting. And I just figured it out and am telling you, like, right now! So don't turn me into a popsicle!"

Su giggled at Lee's exaggerated response. Rhode on the other hand just gave a frustrated sigh.

"I'm not that bad, am I!?" Rhode asked.

"Not usually." Lee admitted. "But a guy's gotta be careful, you know?"

"Fine." Rhode sighed and leaned back in her chair, staring at the ceiling, deep in thought over these revelations.

"So what are we going to do about all this?" Su asked, bringing things back on topic.

"For now?" Rhode said after some consideration. "Let's just leave things be. If the magicals think they have Lupin under control, then I say we let them try. But if they screw up and he gets loose to hurt someone, we do our jobs. Agreed?"

"Agreed." The other two demigods answered in unison.

* * *

It was finally time for the Hogsmeade trip before the Christmas Holidays. Rhode was happy, she could finally stop buying candy for her family and get actual gifts. Things were going great at the school since they found out about Lupin, nothing significant had happened. And that was just the way the sea child liked things. So this Hogsmeade trip, Rhode had decided to spoil herself a little in celebration, so she and Su went shopping together. She managed to find a nice little book on magical architecture for Annabeth, some gag gifts for Luke from Zonko's Joke Shop, and a bundle of magical celery from the Magical Neep (a magical greengrocer shop) for Grover. It's a long story, don't ask.

However, despite how smoothly things were doing in Hogwarts, Rhode couldn't wait for the Holidays. She wanted to go home and spend time with her family. So it was with intense anticipation that she counted down the days till the school term ended.

* * *

Rhode had to admit, it was great being back at camp. With that whole stupid Sirius Black thing, it was just nice to know she could relax and feel safe in her own home. She hung around Thalia's pine for her birthday, just rambling on about how her first date went and how terribly it ended. She knew she wouldn't get an answer, but she really wished Thalia was around for some of these firsts in her life.

Of course, Emily wrapped her in a powerful hug as soon as she got to camp. Squealing to high Olympus and back. But after finding out how it ended, she gave her condolences. Luke didn't look too pleased about her dating, but that was just him being overprotective like usual. She couldn't wait for how he'd react to Annabeth dating! Speaking of Annabeth, once she found out, the little girl had said it sounded like a waste of time. As one would expect of a child, even one of Athena's.

But Rhode did note that Annabeth would sometimes give her this worried look, the younger girl had stated it was over the Sirius Black situation, getting the older girl to back off. Rhode was pretty sure there was something else, but whatever it was, the blonde wasn't ready to talk about it, so she'd give her some space.

Rhode had another nice Christmas party and exchanging of gifts that year. During the course of which Rhode ended up promising to hang out with Jack on Christmas morning so he could teach her how to ice skate.

So it was that early on Christmas morning, that the daughter of Poseidon finished lacing her skates and adjusting her beanie at the edge of the frozen canoeing lake. After pushing up, she slowly glided onto the frozen lake while focusing on her balance.

"This, right?" she asked Jack, who was gliding next to her in a much more relaxed position with his bare feet.

"Yeah, for a turtle." Jack wittily noted.

"Hey," Rhode glared, "Turtles are awesome. Just look at the Ninja Turtles!"

"...Hm, touché." the son of Khione nodded as he stopped in front of her, holding out his hands, "Here, let's start off slow and then we'll speed things up."

"Sure." Rhode said, taking his hands with hers. She noticed, even through her own resistance to extreme low temperatures, Jack's hands were really cold.

The duo spent the next half an hour of messing around on the ice, Jack carefully teaching Rhode how to skate properly. By the end of it, Rhode was good enough to even perform a few basic tricks.

Jack clapped as Rhode just pulled off an axel jump, "Wow, you're a natural." he complimented.

Rhode just whipped her ponytail over her shoulder, "Thanks." she smiled brightly at him while catching her breath.

"Since you're so good, why don't we try something a little more difficult. You game?" Jack asked challengingly.

"Sure. What do you have in mind?" Rhode was always up for a challenge.

"You get some distance, speed up and jump! Then, I catch you." Jack told her.

"You sure I'm, no we're, ready for tandem stunts like that?" the daughter of the ocean asked uncertainly.

"Oh, come on! It's just a jump and catch." the son of winter told her.

"But what if you drop me?" Rhode frowned.

"Princess!" Jack winced, holding his chest with a mock painful expression, "Do you honestly believe I would let that happen?"

Rhode just gave him a tiny frown with narrowed eyes.

Rolling his icy blue eyes, Jack said, "I promise not to drop you. Seriously."

After a moment of thought, Rhode conceded to the request, "Fine. But if you do…" she trailed off threateningly.

"Trust me, I want to live." Jack chuckled as Rhode moved back a few meters. She leaned down and sped forward. She jumped into the air and Jack caught her just above her hips and spun three times.

Rhode laughed merrily at his action. But as Jack looked up to laugh too, he noticed how stunning she looked in the morning sun as the wind breezed past them. He brought her back down and noted that Rhode smelled just like the sea.

"Jack? Jack!" Rhode's voice snapped him out of it.

"Y-Yeah?" the white haired boy stuttered out as he regained his wits.

Rhode frowned up at him, "You okay? You look kinda out of it." Jack's normally pale features had a more flustered look to them, which was weird since the son of Khione was normally fine during winter.

Jack laughed off her worries, "Nothing, just, uh…" he looked back at the cabins, "Hey, I got a thing to do with the guys. Maybe continue later?" he asked, taking a few steps backwards.

Rhode tilted her head, but soon nodded, relief filling Jack with a side of happiness, "Sure, I'm actually kinda hungry. Later?"

"Later." Jack nodded and flew off, perhaps a bit too fast.

Rhode scratched the back of her head, but had a small smile on her face. _What was up with Jack at the end there? Well, he said he was fine, so I guess there's nothing to worry about. He can take care of himself and if not, Luke's his counselor. So I'm sure he'll be taken care of._

Thinking back to all the fun she just had with Jack, Rhode's smile grew even wider. Jack was a really cool guy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there goes another chapter, Nameless, Sieg, thanks for helping so much once more!
> 
> Daddy Poseidon decided to pay a visit! XD I thought that would be a sweet father-daughter moment between the two. It shows Poseidon trying to make up to Rhode in a way. But, as a god, he is restricted at some parts, thus the need for stealth.
> 
> Rhode's having dreams again, and she agrees with the voice. Black must pay! No mercy! The Dementors really left her vulnerable after their mental attack, huh guys? Good thing Su saved the day! She's a real Super Su.
> 
> And Ancient Runes. I tried to get into this with Andi, but admit I failed, so I tried to make it up with Rhode. Hope we did well on it. And yes, Rhode has taken a fancy to it. Who knows what might happen.
> 
> Yes, Rhode had her first date! And why Dean? I've been hinting at it since her first interaction with him. And it ended in failure too. Dumb monsters! And friendzoned? Ouch! The mist really doesn't like the kids of Poseidon huh? As for who was in the trees? Well, I gave you hints, figure it out. Next, I'll ask you who does it serve? That should explain who was targeting Rhode.
> 
> Nameless2210: Now some people are probably gonna think we were bashing the Wizarding World in the conversation during the date. And we were, because that's what Rhode would do. Remember she disdains the magicals. As for Dean? Well, he's trying to impress a girl, of course he's gonna agree with her. Plus he's effectively muggleborn (check up his wiki, he's actually a half-blood but was raised thinking he was muggleborn) and that means he's likely to see the Wizards as pretty backwards anyways. All this is not to say that we didn't show our biases, we did. Both E4E and I both agreed that the wizards went into hiding because they're terrified of the muggles because they know in a fight, they'll lose. Horribly. And would have at least since the Statute of Secrecy was drawn up in 1689. Were there other reasons? Sure. But at it's heart the fact of the matter was that the Wizards never stood a chance against the muggles and it was either going into hiding or be reduced to slaves to the muggles.
> 
> [Rant start. Ignore if you don't want to understand my reasoning for this opinion.] Why do I say this? Simple. The muggleborn. The magicals who through their old loyalties to muggles and discrimination by purebloods, would flock to the banner of the muggles against their fellow magicals thereby countering the only advantage wizards have. After that, well… muggles have been very good at killing people for a very long time and they outnumber the wizards by a huge margin. Average joe wizard would die in droves and even magical titans like Voldemort and Dumbledore would get themselves outfought tactically and killed in short order (Even the most powerful wizards have shown no ability to stand up to heavy sustained fire, particularly by projectiles with mass. Sure they can block a few things banished at them but a rapid fire machine gun? Or a massed volley from a formation of riflemen/musketeers? Or even a contingent of archers? All canon evidence suggests whilst they can stop a few hits, the weight of fire would take them down in short order. Plus they don't have active 24-hr wards around their persons so employing surprise [with things like snipers, over the horizon artillery, drone strikes, tactical missiles, nukes, etc.] would work too.). Sure attrition for the muggles would likely be insane but they have the manpower to spare, the wizards do not.[Rant ends.]
> 
> I hear ya Nameless. Man, did we have a good talk about this one. Well, we had more but we shan't bore you with our musings and nitpicks.
> 
> Sieg: True true. But I guess the basis of it would be that bullets and bombs would screw the magicals over quite easily, and as we all know, wizards aren't very good at being "inconspicuous", their apparent lack of sense is an issue as well.
> 
> Nameless2210: Partly, it's the guns and bombs and stuff. But muggle weapons aren't really the issue here. Give any good wizard time and he'd probably be able to come up with a counter to most of them. It's the fact that the muggles have numbers on their side that matters. Quantity is a quality all its own and all that. After all, magicals can tire and when they do their counters will fail so weight of fire or just keep attacking them until they get too tired to use their counters is very, very effective against them. Take into account that the muggleborn collaborators will be conscripted to help create workarounds for magical counters and the wizards are just doomed.
> 
> Anyway, we showed Snape trying to lighten up on Rhode. But she's still a rude kid, so he's got to lay down the law on her when that Foot in Mouth syndrome perks up.
> 
> Please review, no flames, and peace off!


	17. Year Three: Artemis Moons Me

**Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson or Harry Potter.**

**The Unrelenting Frozen Seas: The Journey**

**Year Three: Artemis Moons Me**

**Beta: Siegfried01**

* * *

The New Years was fun, Gaige had went all out for the fireworks. As such the Year 2004 began with a blast, even more so as Luke turned seventeen. That was a real treat as he was now one of the oldest campers around. Rhode had done some growing over the first semester too, and no, not in height. She had developed in her chest area and thanks to Emily, she had a new set of bras all ready for a blooming B-cup. It was a little awkward getting them on, but Rhode was used to it by now. She still liked sports bras more though since they were easier to wear.

Still, one of the biggest things to note were that the three demigods of Hogwarts were now armed with silver weapons. Of course Chiron was perturbed with the fact that the school's staff had a werewolf on it, but the half-bloods told him that it was okay and Lupin had shown no aggressive actions against them, besides issuing homework and detention. They of course wanted the weapons, just in case.

After some farewell hugs from Rhode's favorite pair of blondes, and the promise of more letters from Annabeth via Wright, the magical demigods headed back to Hogwarts.

* * *

Upon her return to Hogwarts, Rhode was greeted with a wonderful sight: Granger and Ron shouting at each other at the top of their lungs. Repeatedly.

Apparently Crookshanks, Granger's cat, had been trying to eat Scabbers, Ron's gross rat. Rhode was genuinely confused on why he was upset so asked why he was complaining, he hated the thing after all. He just said it was the principle of the matter. The child of the ocean just rolled her eyes at this and told him to stop whining about it. He'd flushed at that but argued that Granger had gone too far this time and even if it was over a pet rat he never wanted or liked, he wasn't going to let Granger get away with more "bullshit", all the while gesturing angrily at his sister who had timidly but steadfastly took Granger's side.

The child of the sea just sighed at this. Ron was being so dishonest about the whole thing. If he was angry at Granger for 'corrupting' his sister, then tell her so. There was no point using an excuse to shout at her just to vent his frustrations towards her. Rhode told him this, leaving him a sputtering mess, before she publicly declared she washed her hands of the matter. Unfortunately for everyone, it seemed Ron didn't heed her advice. As a result, the school was left with having to endure the pointless argument between the two Gryffindors. Poor them, Gryffindors were _loud_ when they got going.

* * *

Rhode was lying face down on her bed, attempting to get some sleep after the party down in the common room. Gryffindor had beat Ravenclaw in a Quidditch match, and her house had decided, much to her annoyance, to use it as an excuse to have a massive party. So everyone and their mother was hooting and hollering about it. Even McGonagall was down there celebrating the house's rare win, apparently too happy to let the celebration die even though it was already passed lights out. Though to her credit, she had tried and that was when Rhode had slipped off to bed though most of the Lions had merely changed to their sleepwear, went back down into the common room and continued the party, with their Head of House doing nothing but give a shake of her head at their antics before joining in. Rhode decided to blame Mr. D for all the racket, since he was the party god. It seemed to relieve her that she could blame the portly god.

The green eyed girl had finally managed to begin to drift off to sleep when a great shout that rung throughout the dorm startled her back to full wakefulness, forcing her to jump out of her bed.

Dressed in her pajamas, a green tee-shirt and dolphin-covered boxer shorts, she rushed down the stairs, catching the tail end of a shadow running out the portrait entrance. She could hear Ron shouting something about Black and connected the dots.

She paused for but a second. He was here?! Rhode decided to pursue at that very moment.

She sprinted passed the gaggle of handful of remaining partiers as well as the odd half-asleep student that had been startled out of their dorm rooms by the shout, her bare feet thumping the stone floor as she raced out Gyrffindor Tower.

She saw movement ahead, "Hey!" she shouted. The figure startled at her cry, but instead of stopping, he just started running faster.

Pumping her arms, Rhode was hot on his heels. She reached down and mentally cursed her forgetfulness for not taking her wand. She saw a suit of armor coming up and snatched the spear it was holding. "Stop!" she shouted at the figure as it turned the corner.

She followed suit and found herself suddenly following a very large black dog that you could have mistaken for a baby hellhound, instead of the human figure she was chasing earlier.

 _What!? Where did he go? Wait a minute, he must be an Animagus like Lee! The_ dog _is Black!_

Black was moving faster now that he was on all fours, but that didn't deter Rhode. She acted as a predator before its prey, a wild look in her vivid eyes as she did so.

Still running, she cocked her arms back, spear aimed at the fleeing target, and threw!

A yip was heard as the criminal turned hound twisted around a corner once more, the scent of copper (blood) hitting her nose as she passed the spear lodged into the ground.

She turned the corner and saw the dog right in front of her. She didn't have time to dodge as the beast bit her calf, its canines going in deep.

"Ah!" Rhode cried out, her other leg snapped forward, punting the dog right in the face. The criminal whimpered at the hit, but quickly fled down some corridor. Rhode would have pursued, but the second she put pressure on her leg, she winced as a surge of pain struck her forcing her to grab onto the wall to keep standing.

Rhode's eyes flashed with chilling anger, mist escaping her lips as she snarled. She punched the wall in frustration, "You better run! Once I find you, you're dead!" She yelled, her voice thundering after the now escaped Black.

She turned around and winced after every step on her bad leg. She had learned two things tonight.

One, Black could turn into a dog, so he was an Animagus. And two, he wasn't out to kill her. He had gotten her leg, and would have had the perfect chance to kill her, but didn't. Why didn't he? What did that mean? Did he need her alive for some reason? That couldn't be it either though, since with him latched onto her leg he could have dragged her off right there, but he didn't even try. What was going on?

These were the thoughts plaguing her as she returned to her dorm. Halfway there Percy and a bunch of older years met her in the corridors. They'd apparently run after her the moment they'd realized what was going on and how she wasn't in her dorm room. The fact that they'd only just now caught up to Rhode was proof of just how much more fit she was, her own demigod awareness that let her react just that bit faster, and the head start it had given her.

Seeing she was injured, Percy had at first demanded she go to the Hospital Wing, but Rhode had refused. It was only a puncture wound, nothing serious. After a couple minutes of pointless arguing, one of the seventh year girls in the group lost her patience and just shoved Percy out of the way and cast a healing spell on Rhode's leg. Problem solved, the group marched back to the dorm as a group with their wands drawn and ready, alert for any sign of Black.

When they got back to the form, they found everyone in their PJ's and McGonagall waiting for them in the Common Room.

"Uh, sup?" she grimaced as the head of the lion house stalked up to the demigod in her old lady nightie.

"Evans, what were you thinking?!" she screamed bloody murder at the demigod.

"Chasing after the bad guy, what else." Rhode answered with a roll of her eyes.

"Chasing after the-young lady! Have you lost your mind?!"

The child of the sea pondered that for a second and then shook her head, "Don't think so." she said, nonchalantly falling into a nearby chair, "Learned that Black is an Animagus, a large black dog. Also managed to wound him with a spear I grabbed."

That had the whole house broke out into a storm of hushed whispers, but the head of house was having none of that, "Silence!" she shouted, making a pall of silence fill the common room. The woman turned her sharp eyes to Rhode, "Evans, you and Longbottom will be serving detention for the rest of the week."

Rhode looked to the shaking Neville, "Why Neville?"

"He was the one who lost that cheat sheet with the passwords on it. That's how Black got in." Ron piped up, making Neville shrink into his fluffy robes.

Rhode just gave Neville a deadpanned expression, "Seriously?"

"Sorry." The boy confessed to her.

Rhode just groaned and threw her head back as Lee handed her some water. She gave him an appreciative smile, the sudden run through the castle had left her mildly thirsty.

After a sip, Rhode was bombarded with questions by her fellow students. They asked things like what happened in her chase and what Black looked like. All things Rhode wasn't exactly happy to talk about, not yet and not to a bunch of nosy gawkers, so she just ignored the whole bunch of them.

This didn't seem to faze her inquisitive housemates and they continued to press her for answers. It was going to be a long night.

* * *

No one in Gryffindor Tower slept that night. They knew that the castle was being searched again, and the whole House stayed awake in the common room, waiting to hear whether Black had been caught. McGonagall came back at dawn, to tell them that he had again escaped.

Rhode just pulled out a witty Mr. D retort, "Well, duh."

Throughout the day, everywhere they went they saw signs of tighter security; Professor Flitwick could be seen teaching the front doors to recognize a large picture of Sirius Black; Filch was suddenly bustling up and down the corridors, boarding up everything from tiny cracks in the walls to mouse holes. Sir Cadogan had been fired. His portrait had been taken back to its lonely landing on the seventh floor, and the Fat Lady was back. She had been expertly restored, but was still extremely nervous, and had agreed to return to her job only on condition that she was given extra protection. A bunch of surly security trolls had been hired to guard her. They unnerved Rhode who remembered the one troll she killed back in her first year, but this pair were surprisingly restrained. They paced the corridor in a menacing group, talking in grunts and comparing the size of their clubs, but didn't give the students and staff any trouble.

Ron had become an instant celebrity for having spotted Black. Rhode had as well for chasing after Black, but she wasn't talking. So people were forced to turn to Ron for their taste of the latest gossip on Black. Thus for the first time in his life, people were paying attention to him for something he'd done and not just because he was Rhode's friend, and it was clear that Ron was rather enjoying the experience. Though still severely shaken by the night's events, he was happy to tell anyone who asked what had happened, with a wealth of detail.

"... I was asleep, I had one too many butterbeers I think, dozing off in a chair at the edge of the Common Room… when all a sudden I feel someone grab me, and I thought it was in my dream, you know? Or that one of the twins were up to something, you know? ... So I woke up and instead... I saw him standing over me… he was searching my pockets I think… dunno what he hoped to find in them, only had my useless rat, Scabbers, in them... he looked like a skeleton, with loads of filthy hair ... holding this great long knife, must've been twelve inches... and he looked at me, and I looked at him, then Scabbers ran off, and it was like the moment was broken. So then I yelled, and he scampered."

"Why, though?" Ron added to Rhode as the group of second year girls who had been listening to his chilling tale departed. "Why did he run?"

Rhode had wondered the same thing. Why had Black, having gotten the wrong person, not silenced Ron and proceeded to hunt Rhode down? Black had proved twelve years ago that he didn't mind murdering innocent people. Was he worried about alerting everyone else at the party? Surely, someone as notorious as him could manage a clean kill, right?

"Who knows," Rhode grunted, "But I was so damn close. If he hadn't turned that corner, he'd have a new hole in his back." She had cursed her missed throw. Even if she had winged him, it didn't sate her anger.

Neville was in total disgrace. McGonagall was so furious with him that she had banned him from all future Hogsmeade visits, given him a detention, and forbidden anyone to give him the password into the tower. Neville was forced to wait outside the common room every night for somebody to let him in, while the security trolls leered unpleasantly at him. Though Rhode had taken pity on him and told him what it was the first chance she got.

None of these punishments, however, came close to matching the one his grandmother had in store for him. Two days after Black's break-in, she sent Neville the very worst thing a Hogwarts student could receive over breakfast - a Howler. He ran out of the Great Hall with it, the screaming of his grandma heard in the distance like the volume was on max!

Lee had told Rhode about Howlers, and honestly, she found them to be very annoying and stupid. But she guessed if a parent wanted to punish their child, embarrassing them in front of their peers was a shoe-in.

Rhode felt sorry for Neville, but the fact was that his clumsiness had put the whole of Gryffindor in danger and could have killed who knows how many innocents. Because of this, the demigod gave him the cold shoulder during their shared detention.

* * *

Lee was bored.

He was hanging around the Room of Requirement, fiddling with a Zippo lighter he tweaked with some magic while leaning back on a chair, his feet on a table.

Su was there too, doing her weird Poison Ivy stuff, like crossbreeding rare magical plants, energetically taking detailed notes on them. She had many potted plants on a long table, the leaves of one of which she was checking right now.

"Rhode's detention should be over soon," the son of Hermes commented, snapping the lighter open and closed, producing some sparks that turned into dancing shapes.

"Indeed it should," Su said, after checking her watch. She turned to him, "If you're bored, I could show you how to trim some plants." She suggested kindly.

Lee shook his head, "The only thing I'm interested in trimming is pockets, not plants. Sorry, Poison Ivy."

Su flustered, "Please don't call me that!" she whined in protest with a pout, "I'm nothing like her."

"You splice pants like a mad scientist. It fits you."

Su planted her hands on her hips and stomped her foot, "It does not."

Lee raised an accusing eyebrow.

"…Okay, maybe a little." The daughter of Demeter confessed, but pointed her finger sternly at him, "Still, I am no villainess."

"But Su," Lee grinned at her, "Boys love the bad girls. Just look at Rhode." He teased.

The daughter of agriculture turned bright red, "Lee!" she whined adorably, mustering her best glare, but the son of Hermes just laughed at her. He laughed so hard, he fell off his chair, dropping his magic Zippo.

As it hit the ground, it sparked up and a fireball shaped like a platypus streaked across the air, setting fire to all the plants.

"No!" Su cried out, racing towards the plants. She could hear their horrific screams! She grabbed her cloak, desperately slapping out the flames and inhaling the mixed fumes released by the burning plants, causing her to cough and hack a few times.

Lee jumped up and pointed his wand at the plants, crying out, "Aguamenti!" He dosed the plants with water, and Su, making her drip from head to toe. He walked up to her, taking off his cloak to drape over her, "Su, I am so sorry. I mean, I didn't mean to do that." Lee lamely apologized as Su wrapped her damp uniform with his cloak.

Su however was just staring at him, "Lee?" she asked fearfully.

"Yeah?"

"Why is your hair on fire?"

"Huh?" Lee said, a stumped look on his face.

Su looked around, "And why are we underwater?" she breathed out in awe.

"Um, Su-!"

The daughter of Demeter let out a random giggle, but pouted, rubbing her stomach, "I'm hungry."

Lee just looked at her, before a horrific look dawned on his features.

"Oh gods, are you high?" he hissed in a panic.

"I could really go for a taco right now."

"Oh gods, you are!" Lee screamed, his fingers going into his hair as he took a step back from Su, who was padding around the room, talking to, if he was hearing her right, some rainbow Flamingos. Lee turned around, freaking out.

He was screwed, screwed! If Rhode found out about this…no, scratch that! If Demeter found out, he'd be wheat germ! Well, she did that to everyone, but still! He was too handsome to be part of a perfectly balanced breakfast!

"Okay, okay," Lee said to himself. "You can fix this, I'm sure its only temporary. As long as I keep her here, keep her fed and watered, it'll wear off." The son of Hermes assured himself. He turned around sharply, "Okay, Su, this is wha-" He got his answer even before he finished speaking when the door of the room slammed shut.

Lee stood there for a moment, in terrified shock as the situation slowly slipped out of his control. He was drawn out of his funk when he heard a muffled, "Wheee!" from outside the door. Finally, his brain started working again.

"Su!"

* * *

Rhode sighed as she finally got out of her detention. Honestly, she'd have a future at shining trophies at this rate.

It was then several students started running towards her, screaming their heads off. Wait, why had they just fled past her? Confused, Rhode reached her hand out, grabbing Justin Finch-Fletchley, some rich kid by muggle standards, from Hufflepuff, and asked, "What's going on?" she asked casually.

"I, it, she, it, he, I, tacos, mommy!" He blubbered.

Rhode slapped him across the face, "Calm down and out with it!" she ordered.

"It's a mad house!" he said in a shrill tone, "Plants, plants everywhere! The greenhouse, it's out to get us all! Professor Sprout tried to stop them," he started to cry, "But they took her, she's probably mulch by now!" he said in hysteria before pulling himself roughly from Rhode's grip and ran off.

She looked towards the way he had run off for a moment before turning to the hallway he had first came running down and pulled out her spyglass. Sighing heavily, she said under her breath, "Just another day, just another day."

She turned the corner to see the hallway covered in foliage of different kinds. And there, walking towards her, was Su.

"Yes," the daughter of Demeter nodded airily to herself, "Soon I will have all the tacos! Things are going all according to plant." She said, wringing her wrists like a cliché villain while giggling maddeningly.

Rhode groaned, as if taking a physical blow from the terrible pun. "Su, what are you doing?" she asked. Seriously, this was so out of character for her friend.

Su looked at her, a hazy look in her chestnut brown eyes, like she wasn't all there. Suddenly, the daughter of Demeter gasped, "A wild Squirtle appeared!"

Rhode gained a dumbfounded expression, "…What?"

"Fear not! For I will capture you, stuff you in a tiny red and white ball, and force you to fight for amusement against other enslaved animals!"

"…What?"

"Bulbasaur, I choose you!"

"Oh sweet gods," Rhode paled, "She thinks I'm a Pokémon!" She knew she should have never let Annabeth show Su that game! The daughter of Demeter claimed it was animal cruelty after all, "Su! Just stop and talk to me!" she shouted.

"Bulbasaur, Razor Leaf!" A tree popped up next to Su and the next thing Rhode knew, dozens of sharp leaves were sent hurtling at her. The daughter of the sea summoned her shield and blocked them all just in time.

"Su! Snap out of it!"

"Squirtle used Withdraw?" Su laughed crazily as she said this. "No matter! Vine Whip! Oh and Professor Snape isn't here!" At this, a massive pair of vines grew out of the foliage adorned hall and swung themselves at Rhode.

"Ah crap baskets." The daughter of Poseidon couldn't dodge in time, damn Su could move those vines fast! The blow sent Rhode skidding back a few feet. Okay, that was going to leave some welts.

"Yes! A critical hit!" Su exclaimed as she suddenly did a happy dance? She was really, really out of it wasn't she? All while singing out, "When I catch you, I'll hug and cuddle you and all around smother you in my love! And then you'll be my loyal battle pet and we'll conquer the world! Mwahahaha!"

She actually said "Mwahaha!" Didn't even laugh it out, just said it like a normal word. Ok, Su was officially batshit insane right now. What could she do? Su was one of her closest friends, she couldn't just attack her.

Wait, maybe that was it!

Mustering her innate cunning, Rhode shouted with uncertainty, "Um, wild Squirtle flees?" She prayed it worked.

Su pouted, "Oh darn! Now what do I do?" The child of Demeter then began pacing in a oddly perfect circle, comically running her hands through her hair in thought.

 _Thank you Bethy. Never thought all that nonsense about Pok_ é _mon would ever come in handy, but this just goes to show what I know._

Rhode took advantage of Su's distraction to close in on her and when her back was turned as she paced, she surged forward and quickly put her friend into a sleeper hold. "Sorry about this Su! But this is for your own good."

"No! NO! My Tacos! My global Taco Empire…" Su managed to struggle out as she passed out.

It was then Lee showed up. "Is it safe?"

"Yes." Rhode said as she gently laid Su down. "Where were you anyway?"

"Err… Cleaning up after her?" Lee said unconvincingly.

"How?" Rhode asked distractedly as she adjusted Su, so she would be comfortable.

"The Mist?" Lee answered evasively.

"You know why she was like this in the first place?" the green eyed girl asked, gesturing to the snoozing Su. "If I didn't know better, I'd have said she was high."

"She was." Lee said with a gulp.

Rhode paused, turning to stare at him, "What? How did that happen?"

Lee quickly explained what happened.

"Lee…" Rhode gritted out as mist wafted around her lightly. "You started this mess? You fix it. I'm taking Su to bed." With that the scion of the ocean picked up her sleeping friend gently and proceeded to walk off.

"What! How?" Lee called after the departing demigoddesses.

"Like you said, with the Mist." Rhode said dismissively. "Anything else? Deal with it yourself."

"Well damn. That's gonna be a lot of work. I deserve it though." Rhode heard Lee mutter just as she walked out of earshot. Good, at least he knew when to take responsibility.

* * *

After the...debacle of Su's high-induced rampage, Lee had been very, very apologetic. He'd even gone out of his way to be especially helpful to both his fellow demigods. Su in particular.

Su on other hand was beyond embarrassed over the ordeal, she even skipped a day of class out of shame! She just wanted to huddle in her bed like a cute little turtle. Rhode of course kept her company with a tub of Rocky Road ice cream and two large spoons. Thankfully, Rhode managed to talk Su into bucking up after only a day. Who knew how long she would have sulked otherwise.

Other than that though, things at Hogwarts were pretty uneventful. There were no more sightings of Black and no monster attacked the school.

Days later Rhode was sitting in the library enjoying the peace by reading a book on Ancient Runes as Su was nose deep in a law book.

Buckbeak, the jerk of a Hippogriff, had been put on trial for injuring Malfoy. Ever since, Su was doing everything she could to help fight against the injustice of it all. She gave Hagrid notes and ideas on how to fight the legal case that the whole thing had become and even sent some letters to her father for information.

Rhode of course pointed out that the system was corrupt and how money was playing against her. Su of course didn't believe that and had faith in justice. The daughter of Poseidon heavily disagreed with that, but Su wasn't fazed at all, putting her all into the matter.

They were just chilling time, waiting for Lee to get back. He had gone to Lupin, as a sort of spy mission, and asked him for help against the Dementors. So now all the girls had to do was just read and wait.

Flipping a page, Rhode took note of someone walking by them. She looked up to see an older boy sit down by the table near them. He was rather tall and…handsome. He had chiseled features with dark hair and grey eyes. He was in a Hufflepuff uniform, talking in hushed whispers with his friends. She wondered who he was.

"Cedric Diggory." Su supplied, reading her mind somehow.

Rhode colored a bit, "Oh."

Su glanced at the boy and back to Rhode, raising a brow, "Oh?"

"Well," Rhode said, looking back down at her book, "He's sorta cute." She admitted to her friend.

Su hummed, "He's not my type." She said, looking back at her law books.

The child of the sea rested her elbow on the table, "Then what is your type?" she asked curiously.

Su looked up, mischief in her chestnut eyes. Raising a finger to her lips, she said, "Secret."

"Oh come on." Rhode whispered, sounding rather curious.

The daughter of Demeter just shook her head and returned to her reading.

Rhode pouted as she leaned back in her chair.

It was then Lee slinked into the library, making a beeline to them.

"Guys!" he said.

"Shh!" The librarian, Madam Pince, said glaring at Lee.

Giving a sheepish smile, the son of Hermes lowered his voice, "Okay, I got what we need. Let's head to the Room."

Nodding, Rhode got up, closing her book as Su was stuffing hers into her messenger bag. They quietly left the library and listened to Lee as they headed to the Room of Requirement.

"So the spell is called the Patronus Charm," he listed off, "Helps shield you from the Dementors. You have to focus on a happy memory for it to work though." Lee stated as they scaled some stairs.

"Okay, that's good." Rhode nodded, "But did you see anything suspicious?" she asked intently.

"Well, he did have the twins' greatest pranking tool. I saw him looking it over when I showed up. He said he confiscated it." Lee frowned, "I tried to snag it, but he knew me and the twins are buddy buddy and pocketed it before I could. Can't exactly pick a pocket with a desk between me and my target after all."

"Whatever," the daughter of the ocean rolled her eyes, "I mean about his furry problem."

Lee snickered at that, "Heh, furry. Well, nope, he was pretty normal."

Rhode clicked her tongue.

"What's the spell's incantation?" Su asked the boy as they finally got to the seventh floor.

"Expecto Patronum." The son of Hermes supplied as they finally made it into the Room of Requirement.

"Well, I guess we should practice it, right?" Rhode grinned.

Lee shot her one in return, "Oh yeah."

"Let's get started." Su said with enthusiasm.

The trio begun practising the new spell. Lee, to his shock, managed a corporeal Patronus only a couple hours later. It was only a shapeless blob, so he hadn't perfected it, but according to him to get that far so quickly was incredible. This fact comforted the girls who made far less progress. Su only managed some glowing mist and Rhode could barely conjure anything with the spell.

They also made a very frustrating discovery. This spell didn't gel with their fighting styles. It required too much focus, and so distracted them when they needed it. Su could probably work it in when she mastered it, since she mainly fought from range with her powers and could afford the distraction better but even she was leery about the Patronus. Focusing on it meant not doing so on her powers and with some of the dangerous plants she'd started using in her fights, that was very risky. If her control slipped and they attacked her allies, she'd never forgive herself.

That said, the Patronus as the only known shield against the effects of the Dementors' powers, was something all three demigods were determined to master. If for no reason then for just in case. They'd just have to keep practicing until they got it down.

* * *

It was going like a normal Hogsmeade trip. Snacks, candy, butterbeer, and window shopping. You know, just a good old girls day out for Rhode and Su. But then as they walked, Rhode stared at the trail to the Shrieking Shack with a broody look.

Su noticing her friend's look, gave her a comforting squeeze to the arm. "Hey, it's ok. Don't think about it. There are plenty of other good guys around for you to choose from."

"I know." Rhode admitted with a sigh. "It's just it was my first date, you know? I wanted it to be special."

"I get that. But we can't change the past." Su said sagely. "We just have to keep going forward."

"Thanks Su." Rhode said honestly.

"No problem." Su replied easily.

The two walked on in companionable silence for a few more minutes before an idea struck Rhode. "Hey Su, you mind going back without me? I want to do something alone."

"Sure. But what do you have in mind?" Su inquired curiously.

"I want to check out the Shrieking Shack. Alone." Rhode said uncharacteristically somber. "I think if I spent some time alone there I can just get some closure. I know it doesn't make any sense, but…"

"Say no more, Rhode. If that's what you need then go for it." Su said supportively. "See you back in the castle." The daughter of agriculture said as she took a step back, signalling her readiness to give Rhode her space like her friend wanted.

"Thanks a bunch, Su." Rhode said thankfully. "See you later." She said with a wave.

Su waved back and turned towards Hogwarts and started off back to the school on her own.

Rhode watched her go for a moment before she took a big fortifying breath and turned towards the Shrieking Shack.

She was passing through a part of the trail that crossed into the forest that surrounded Hogsmeade when she heard the sound of wood splintering from deeper in the forest. Turning she saw a sight that sent a shot of fear down her spine: a giant scorpion, the size of a large house.

It had a black exoskeleton underneath several white, bonelike plates upon its back, which were adorned with red markings. Its pincers were the size of Hummers and she really didn't want to see what those Jaws of Life could do. But what really stuck out was the stinger, it was big and gold in color while gleaming in the sun. The strangest thing was that it had moss and grass growing all over its claws and torso with scars all over its carapace.

The monster was old and powerful, Rhode could figure out that much. And only one monster came to mind.

Scorpio, the monster of Gaia that slayed one of the greatest hunters in history, Orion.

He was her half-brother, right? So, what? Scorpio had a thing for Poseidon's kids?

Rhode had two choices: 1) Run out into the open grass just beyond the forest edge and be in full view of the whole village as she fought the massive monster; or 2) Run further into the forest where her mobility would be limited but no one was likely to see her.

In the end, there was only one choice. The demigod shot through the woods, evading trees and pumping her arms. There was no way she would put the whole village in danger. The shrieking behind her just forced her to run even faster.

It was official, she had the worst luck! No one had more terrible luck than her!

Seriously, it was like she offended Tyche or something!

She would honestly have preferred to fight a horde of Pit Scorpions then this one.

"Crap baskets." Rhode muttered while running faster, Scorpio plowing through trees like they were crabgrass as it pursued her.

Cursing Tyche once more, the daughter of Poseidon leapt over a log and fished out Spellbound. Biting back a snarl, Rhode brought out her trident and turned to attack, only to see a large pincer rearing back. As she went to avoid the swing of the pincer, Rhode inwardly swore as she slipped on a patch of moist earth, unbalancing her.

The next thing she knew was pain as she flew through the air and slammed into a tree, dropping her trident at her liftoff. Pain flashed through her body as she fell to the ground. Grunting, and blocking the pain out, Rhode pushed up with her arms and felt Spellbound's weight in her pocket. The daughter of Poseidon looked up with a gasp and scampered out of the way as the large stinger of Scorpio came down.

The golden appendage carved the tree next to her right down the middle, forcing the demigod to dodge once more to avoid the falling timber.

Getting out her weapon once more, Rhode stood her ground and leapt backwards as the stinger struck once more, lodging itself into the ground. As she looked at the tail, she noticed there was a soft part at the base of the stinger which the monster's bone plating didn't cover.

"Thank the gods," Rhode praised. Thank you for making sure monsters had exploitable weaknesses!

Her first job was to get rid of that stinger. As it was pulled out of the ground, Rhode ducked under the snap of a pincer and parried the strike of another, sending her skidding back from the force.

Grunting at her numbed arms, Rhode stood her ground and kept bobbing through the trees for meager cover until the tail came down again. As she continued to dodge, Rhode's confidence in the fight was dwindling. As far as she knew, Scorpio was never defeated in the stories and combining that with Orion's reputation as a beast slayer, what could a thirteen year old girl do to it?

There was no water around. Her friends were long out of reach. It was just her, the monster, and the earth.

Wait! That was it!

And just as fast as her fading confidence was going, it burned once more, bringing a smirk to her face.

As the stinger finally came back down, Rhode moved forward. With a scything motion of her trident, she sliced the small weak point, getting Scorpio to screech in pain. It staggered back, its bleeding stumped tail waving around.

As it did, Rhode sprung her plan. Flipping Spellbound in her hands, she struck it down into the dirt while concentrating. And, like a tuning fork, the weapon began to shake with the ground.

Now, since Rhode's dad wasn't just the sea god, she had other powers than authority over water and horses.

She could make earthquakes just like Poseidon's title, the Earthshaker implied. Normally, she couldn't access this part of his powers. At least not much of it. She'd made a few very minor quakes in the past, when she was angry and lost control over her powers, but that was about it. Her powers just weren't geared towards earthshaking. But she didn't really have any other options right now. So she threw all her will into this aspect of her powers and prayed to her dad that it worked.

It was then she felt a tug in her stomach, like when she used her water powers. But this was different, instead of a tug, it was a violent pull. It was excruciating, like her insides were being torn out from her bellybutton. Worst still, it didn't seem to have much effect at first. Sure, the ground began to tremble but that was about it. So Rhode just pushed harder.

And the earth in the area groaned awake, shaking thunderously as Rhode commanded it to. The pain now though was utterly unbearable. It was like Rhode's blood was vibrating, like her bones would snap from the strain, and her guts now felt like they were being clawed at.

Scorpio, still overcome by its pain, didn't notice what Rhode was doing. It got the hint when the earth began to buckle and break around it though. Screeching angrily, it tried to close in on Rhode, but patches of ground started rising and sinking, forcing it to stretch its legs out in all directions just to stay stable. It was going nowhere.

Rhode let out a cry, sinking Spellbound deeper into the ground, a massive fissure following the action and went right at the poisonous monster.

Rhode didn't know how deep the fissure was, but once it passed under Scorpio, it fell right on in.

"And stay dead!" Rhode shouted, twisting her trident like a key, forcing the fissure to collapse.

The daughter of the Earthshaker smiled at her victory despite the still intense pain and feeling drained.

But, there was a problem, the earth was still shaking. The realization struck her in the gut.

"No, no, no!" Rhode panicked, her sea green eyes wide as could be. She held Spellbound tightly, "Stop, stop!" she ordered, but the earthquake was too wild, nearly out of control. Twisting her eyes shut, the child of the sea concentrated and struggled to gain control once again. Impossibly the pain was even more intense now, it was like every cell in her body had suddenly started vibrating and were about to violently shake her whole body to bits all while every nerve sent unimaginable pain shooting through her mind.

Slowly, the earth seeped into a slumber once more as sweat beaded Rhode's face while she leaned against her trident, panting.

"Like wrestling a bull," she breathed out, trying to force herself up. She was halfway to standing when the strain proved too much and she passed out.

Thankfully, she came to a moment later as a light drizzle started to fall over her patch of forest. The rainwater kickstarting her healing powers. Rhode groaned, awake, and looked up. That was weird, it was clear skies just a minute ago. _I dunno who helped me. But whoever it was, thanks._ She thought groggily, brushing her damp dyed blonde bangs out of her eyes.

Using her trident like a walking stick, she got back to her feet and moved over to the embedded gold stinger. She sat down and leaned against it, letting go of her weapon she let it clatter to the ground.

Rhode took a break to relax and get her energy back, her body feeling numb all over. Even in places that before she wasn't sure even existed. The demigoddess fished out her phone as it vibrated, "Huh?" Looking at the phone she noticed she had a new number added with a picture of a very handsome blond dude labeled Apollo...What?

She then read the following text, "You have unlocked the Number Reward System. Every time you do anything noteworthy in the half-blood world, you earn yourself a new number and thus a contact to cash in/barter for a favor with." Rereading the text, Rhode grinned, "Awesome!"

Best. Phone. Ever.

Going into her contacts, she dialed her dad. After a few rings, she heard the line picked up, "Hey dad!" she greeted tiredly, "You know what happened?" She said, stunned. "Well, don't worry I'm fine." the daughter of the sea tried to play it cool. "Oh, you sent the drizzle? Thanks for that, though I probably didn't need it." Rhode felt happy at his concern, but was somewhat peeved too. Maybe it was from her independent streak.

"Yeah, I'm good now. Just, lounging around." She said in what she hoped was a convincing voice. "Yes, I'm sure." She added exasperated while looking at the destroyed area, "Look, I've got a question." She said, eying the spoil she had won, "Does Hermes have a really really big box? And does he charge extra for the weight of a package?"

After talking with her dad, she sent her love and hung up after he started asking some critical questions all over again. By Olympus, it was like he didn't trust her to know when she was ok.

Grunting, Rhode moved to stand up, pushing past the exhaustion. She winced in her step and brushed her ribs, "Ah, yeah. Cracked, definitely cracked." Looks like the drizzle wasn't good enough. Well, nothing a good soak in a tub couldn't fix. Mustering her determination, she started to go back to the castle. Behind her, the large stinger disappeared with the ring of a cash register.

Chuckling as she walked away and adjusted her beanie, Rhode said, "Thanks dad."

Even as the daughter of Poseidon limped away triumphantly, a harpy bit back a snarl, though looked worried as well, her poultry standing up. Lord Zeus would need to be informed about what happened here today. The bastard of Poseidon was dangerous. Tapping into powers outside her own limits like that was unheard of! She should have killed the girl while she had been passed out but her orders to only observe and the fear of Poseidon stayed her claws. Curses, if only she had made the most of the opportunity! With one last hateful glare towards the increasingly distant scion of the sea, she took to the air. She barely made it two feet before she suddenly felt a sharp pain in her back and burst into dust.

"A harpy?" Lee said quietly to himself from his place a few feet away from the tree the monster had been perching on. His winged shoes fluttering slowly, "What's it doing here? Especially after what looks like an epic fight just took place here?" the son of Hermes frowned, a serious look on his face.

"Gotta talk to Rhode and Su about all this ASAP." Lee said as he raced back to Hogwarts.

* * *

May finally rolled on in. Lee and Rhode had both shared with Su and each other their run-ins with monsters that fateful Hogsmeade trip and as a group, the trio concluded that it was most likely Zeus sending Scorpio to challenge Rhode while the harpy observed. That meant Zeus was for some reason all hyped up with killing his brother's daughter again. Oh joy! Thankfully there hadn't been any other attempts since then, so Rhode and her friends could at least relax a little on that front.

Something all three greatly appreciated especially since the demigods had other concerns. The days to the finals quickly approached the students of Hogwarts, and the library was packed with all those who only studied at the last minute and were now rushing to learn what they could before it was too late. Others, like Rhode (Thanks to Su's help), looked far more calm, confident that all the studying she had done throughout the year would be enough. But as a whole all the students were a little nervous about the finals and the three friends were no exception.

Turned out she had done very well on her finals, making the daughter of Poseidon very pleased and leading her to hug Su in thanks for her support. Of course, Su was still bashful to all sorts of praise.

Sadly, it didn't do much to raise Su's sullen mood. Buckbeak as it turned out was still going to be executed, despite the daughter of Demeter's best efforts to help Hagrid. It devastated Su, someone who was brought up believing in justice due to her father, just to see an innocent animal die for the sake of one's coffers.

Rhode frowned at how corrupt the magical government was and did her best to comfort Su. She had bluntly told Su that the world wasn't always just and how money made right in this world. The reaction that followed shocked Rhode. Su Li, kind and gentle girl that she was, got angry. She stated how such a thing was abominable and needed to be fixed.

Personally, Rhode found that to be impossible, but didn't want to shoot Su, whose eyes had a determined gleam to them, down like that.

Amazingly enough, the very day Buckbeak was going to get the axe, Ron got a letter from Hagrid. He had found his dumb rat, Scabbers. So going with him, Rhode arrived at the scene to see the executioner polishing his large deadly axe. Looking up, the sky was dark and cloudy, Zeus was clearly showing his displeasure at one of his animals being executed for 'Justice's' sake. Ironic considering how corrupt his own domain was, just like him.

As Ron got Scabbers from Hagrid, Rhode decided to talk to Buckbeak, who stood tall, talons out, doing its best to look strong. The creature claimed he was not afraid to die, but Rhode could sense the fear, despite his strong front. Frowning, Rhode felt sorry for him. Sure, he was a jerk, but still…even he didn't deserve this all because that Malfoy brat was a dipshit.

Using her invisibility cloak to hide from the executioner and the government officials, she and Ron witnessed the head of Buckbeak roll. Rhode, sullen, was thankful for the blackened clouds, the gloomy afternoon reflected her mood perfectly. Oh, joy, she was bonding with her uncle. That was a rare moment.

Rhode was going to head up to find Su and gently inform her of what happened, if not for Granger's cat, Crookshanks showing up to chase Ron's rat again. Scabbers had fled as Ron gave chase. Rhode, groaning, walking after him.

Of course that had proven to be her folly as the large black dog that was Sirius Black showed up, grabbing Ron in his jaws just as the boy picked up the rat and proceeding to drag him by his leg to the foot of the Whomping Willow tree and down a hole. Which was soon followed by an audible snap and a shrill scream of pain. Rhode had tried to follow, but the tree was not being very cooperative. And just as she was about to set it on fire, Granger's cat appeared once more, snaking through the whipping branches and hit a knot on the trunk, calming the aggressive tree down.

Rhode looked at the cat suspiciously as she followed it down the hole Black had disappeared into, but cast her concerns to the side for the moment. She had more important things to do, she could worry about the cat later.

After heading down the hole, using her dagger as a light source, she walked a long tunnel and ended up in the Shrieking Shack. Frowning at the decayed and dusty interior, she followed the path with less dust up the staircase, her wand and bronze dagger at the ready.

Kicking the door in, Rhode scanned the room before entering. On a magnificent four-poster bed with dusty hangings lay Crookshanks, purring loudly at the sight of Rhode. On the floor beside him, clutching his leg, which stuck out at a strange angle, was Ron.

Cautiously, Rhode mouthed 'Where' to Ron. His eyes immediately darted to the door directly behind her.

Rhode immediately spun around, a disarming spell shooting from her wand as she did. It hit Black, who seemed half-way through the motion of slamming the door shut. Sending him flying into the wall behind the door and the door flying shut with a loud bang. The wand he had been holding, Ron's she recognized, slipped from his hold.

Rhode took a second to look at him. Black was a mass of filthy, matted hair hung to his elbows. If his eyes hadn't been shining out of the deep, dark sockets, he might have been a corpse. The waxy skin was stretched so tightly over the bones of his face, it looked like a skull. His yellow teeth were bared in a grimace.

...This is what everyone had been pissing themselves over? Gods, he was as frail looking as a straw dummy. It an instant, Rhode's eyes glazed into ice chips, her breath misting, "Well, hello Black." she greeted chillingly.

Slowly, purposefully, she sheathed her dagger and drew the switchblade Luke had gifted her so long ago. All the while, she kept her wand trained squarely on a unmoving Black. Still moving with an icy determination, she flipped the blade open. "You know, I once said if I ever met you...I'd gut you like a fish. I think I will."

Mist had started to completely enshroud the room they were in by this point.

"Rhode…" Black croaked out, but only got a shoe to his jaw for his trouble.

"Shut. Up." The daughter of Poseidon said venomously, "You don't talk!" she shouted and stepped closer. "You gotta think, was it really worth it now? Huh, Black?" she swung her arm and the blade she wielded in one vicious motion.

Black cried out in pain. Ron screamed along with him, freaking out. The convict had acquired a truly massive gash across his abdomen from Rhode's handiwork. A wound that if one looked closely was frosted over.

It was at this moment that a creaking floorboard from downstairs informed the group that they weren't alone. Rhode immediately sent a Stupefy flying towards Sirius and quickly turned to face the door, preparing herself. Moments later, the door was swung open hastily and Lupin rushed in wand drawn.

Rhode remained tense but didn't act. Lupin was supposed to be one of the good guys right?

"Peter!" Lupin screamed as his eyes fell on Scabbers who Crookshanks was holding pinned to the floor at the foot of the bed. Training his wand on the rat, he directed a question, oddly enough, toward it, "Where is Sirius, you traitor?"

Rhode looked at the sight with a blink, wondering what was going on.

Not taking his eyes off the rat, Lupin spoke to the children. "Rhode, Ron, are you two alright? Where is Sirius?"

Ron started rambling at this point, telling the Professor everything that happened since Black caught him. Including Rhode taking a knife to Black, which earned a wince from the werewolf.

Rhode tensed to a hairs trigger, "Why so concerned? You in league with him, Fuzzy?" she accused at his worry over the traitor to the Potters. She was ready to get her hidden silver weapon just in case.

"No. By Merlin, no!" Lupin defended, still keeping his wand trained on Scabbers for some reason. "Look, just let me explain alright?"

"You have five seconds to start talking." Rhode said seriously, brandishing her knife threateningly.

And so Lupin explained everything. About how the true betrayer of the Potters was Peter Pettigrew aka Scabbers the Animagus, and how the rat had framed Sirius for his crimes. About how Lupin himself had figured all this out when he confiscated the Marauders' Map, some fancy magical map of Hogwarts and the people inside that he, her stepdad, Black and the real traitor had made as kids, and saw the rat's name. About how he used the Map to figure out what was happening here in the Shack and had come to help Sirius set the record straight.

Rhode listened to all this with some skepticism but had to agree that it fit together nicely. She was nevertheless cautious, "And why should I believe you?"

"I know Sirius knows a spell to force an Animagus to shift back into his human form. We can get Pettigrew to show himself and prove everything. Just let me revive Sirius, please?" Lupin pleaded.

After a long moment, Rhode said warningly, "Fine. But no funny business. I'm watching you."

Lupin proceeded to slowly, non-threateningly turn towards Black and with a quick "Envenrate" revived him. "Sirius, can you hear me? Are you alright?"

"Remus? What?" Black managed before Rhode interjected.

"I let you revive him to use that spell on the rat to prove your story, not so you two can chit chat. Now hurry up!"

"Scabbers ain't no Peter though." Ron pointed out, his voice a shaken mess and he looked as lost as could be.

"Shut up Ron!" Rhode snapped, her temper flaring at his idiocy right now. Admittedly, she was skeptical over the matter, but if it was true...

"Sirius, could you use the Animagus reversal spell on Pete… no, Pettigrew? Rhode won't believe that you're innocent until she sees him for herself."

Black looked at Rhode warily, especially at her switchblade. Not taking an eye off her, Black replied, "So you believe me, Remus? And I'll need a wand."

"Yes, the Map explained things for me. Rhode, could I pass him a wand?" Lupin responded.

"Give him yours. No way I'm letting both of you be armed." Rhode said harshly.

"Alright." The DADA teacher agreed, as he handed his wand to the fugitive. "Here you go, Sirius."

"Thanks Remus." Sirius said choking up. He obviously wasn't just thanking him for the wand.

"What did I say about chatting?" Rhode said testily as the mist in the room thickened further. "Get on with it!"

"Right!" Black acknowledged as both he and his reunited friend flinched from Rhode's shout. Raising the wand, Black was just about to cast the spell at Scabbers when he was interrupted.

"I think not." a cold voice said as a jet of red zipped out of no where and blasted the wand to the far end of the room.

The space by the door shimmered and out of the darkness came Snape, his wand trained on both adults in the room.

"Oh thank Merlin!" Ron cried out.

Snape was slightly breathless, but his face was full of suppressed triumph. "You're wondering, perhaps, how I knew you were here?" he said, his eyes glittering. "I've just been to your office, Lupin. You forgot to take your potion tonight, so I took a gobletfull along. And very lucky I did...lucky for me, I mean. Lying on your desk was a certain map. One glance at it told me all I needed to know. I saw you running along this passageway and out of sight."

"Severus-" Lupin began, but Snape overrode him.

"I've told the headmaster again and again that you're helping your old friend Black into the castle, Lupin, and here's the proof. Not even I dreamed you would have the nerve to use this old place as your hideout -"

"Severus, you're making a mistake," said Lupin urgently. "You haven't heard everything - I can explain - Sirius is not here to kill Rhode -"

"Two more for Azkaban tonight," said Snape, his eyes now gleaming fanatically. "I shall be interested to see how Dumbledore takes this...He was quite convinced you were harmless, you know, Lupin...a tame werewolf -"

"You fool," said Lupin softly. "Is a schoolboy grudge worth putting an innocent man back inside Azkaban?"

BANG! Thin, snake-like cords burst from the end of Snape's wand and twisted themselves around Lupin's mouth, wrists, and ankles; he overbalanced and fell to the floor, unable to move. With a roar of rage, Black started toward Snape, but Snape pointed his wand straight between Black's eyes.

"Give me a reason," he whispered. "Give me a reason to do it, and I swear I will."

Black stopped dead. It would have been impossible to say which face showed more hatred.

"Bravo, Professor." Rhode said suddenly, surprisingly genuine in her praise. "That was some impressive magic. I didn't even notice you. But these two have an interesting story that I want to check out first before we do anything else. You mind?" she asked, showing some actual respect to the man.

"Rhode!" Ron screamed. "What are you doing? Just let the Professor handle this for Merlin's sake."

"Ron, stop talking. Now!" Rhode bitingly dismissed her friend.

Snape turned to Rhode, his features in the mist giving him a haunting look. His gleaming black eyes locked into her sea green ones searchingly. "And what fanciful tale have these two criminals spun that has you intrigued, Evans?"

"It's Potter, Snivellus." Black hissed.

Everyone ignored Black.

"They say Black was framed for everything. Personally, I want to just really, really kill someone right now." Rhode openly admitted calmly, getting a horrified look from Black, Lupin, and Ron, "But you see, I got this small voice in the back of my mind saying "What if they're right?" I don't like what-ifs, ya know? Plus I don't wanna kill an innocent man if I can help it."

Snape's face twisted into a sneering frown, "I thought you were more savvy than this, Evans. Criminals will say anything to save their own hides."

"Black was an unregistered Animagus," Rhode pointed out.

"And your point?" Snape uttered rather impatiently.

"What if Pettigrew was one too?" Rhode posited.

That one question floored Snape for a moment. He scanned Rhode's face, as if trying to find something. After a beat of a moment, he looked at the "criminals". Rhode didn't know what he was looking for, but his face softened, if for a second, before hardening once more.

"Look it's just one little spell, right? Lupin said so. So let's just try. If what they said is true, then great. We can make sure the right guy gets punished. If not, well… it's not like we've lost anything besides some time or effort." Rhode argued.

Snape seemed to consider this for a long moment before finally answering with, "You keep your wand on Black, I'll use the spell on the rat. Best to be cautious."

"Duh. Just hurry up will you? I've been here all day already." Rhode muttered out impatiently, as she trained her wand on Black.

Snape snorted at that, "Brat."

Smoothly the Potions Master raised his wand towards Scabbers and with a whispered incantation, a flash of blue-white light erupted from his wand. Crookshanks let go of the rat as the light engulfed it and jumped back. For a moment, Scabbers was frozen in midair, his small gray form twisting madly - Ron yelled - then the rat fell and hit the floor. There was another blinding flash of light and then -

It was like watching a speeded-up film of a growing tree. A head was shooting upward from the ground; limbs were sprouting; a moment later, a man was standing where Scabbers had been, cringing and wringing near Crookshanks, who was spitting and snarling on the floor; the hair on his back standing up.

He was a very short man, a little shorter than Rhode. His thin, colorless hair was unkempt and there was a large bald patch on top. He had the shrunken appearance of a plump man who has lost a lot of weight in a short time. His skin looked grubby, almost like Scabbers' fur, and something of the rat lingered around his pointed nose and his very small, watery eyes. He looked around at them all, his breathing fast and shallow. Rhode saw his eyes dart to the door and back again as she took small steps to stand in front of it, glaring at the man.

"Well, lookie what we got here." the daughter of Poseidon said in pleasant surprise.

Snape looked floored, his face framed in surprise, "Peter Pettigrew...but then…" he bit back a snarl, eying the smug looking Black.

"Told you, Snivellus."

Snape ignored the man in favor of glaring at Peter, "So, he was the true Secret Keeper?" he deduced. For a moment, his mask broke and a look of utter rage at the rat-man flashed across his face before he mastered himself once more. "You were the one who betrayed Lily to her death?"

"Yes." Black nodded, glaring daggers at Peter, who looked ready to piss himself.

In the background and all but forgotten Ron gave a horrified gasp.

"Severus, don't believe him!" the rat-like man squealed, "He, he tried to kill me!" he rushed out, looking at Rhode, "He's bad Rhode, twisted!" he squeaked like a cornered rat.

"...Let Lupin free." Rhode said to Snape, who while frowning, nodded. With a flick of his wand, Lupin was freed and stood up, wringing his wrists. Satisfied that his blood was flowing properly again, the man wasted no time in recovering his wand (Ron's as well) and training it along with everyone else's on Pettigrew.

"So you believe us now, Rhode, Severus?" Lupin said carefully.

"Yup." Rhode said distractedly as she advanced menacingly on the traitor.

"Evans, what are you doing?" Snape asked curiously.

"Oh, just showing this little rat my displeasure is all." Rhode replied icily even as the temperature in the room dropped even further and frost began forming everywhere.

"Err… Is it just me or is it getting strangely cold in here?" Ron asked, only to be promptly ignored.

"Rhode," Lupin started, seeing the glint in her eyes. Those were not the eyes of a child, "Please, whatever you plan to do? Reconsider." he said as calmly as he could.

Rhode turned her frigid glare onto him, "Shut up." she snarled like an animal, sending both literal and metaphorical chills down the spines of those in the room. She turned and was face to face with Peter, "Well, a rat huh? Seems to fit." She looked at his hand, the one missing the finger, "So, lost a finger huh?"

Peter just nodded, looking ready to piss himself.

It was so quick, no one could stop it. Peter's hand, the one with five fingers, fell to the floor with a thud.

The pain finally registered in Peter's mind as he howled, holding his new stump of a hand.

The wizards didn't even see her move and cried out with startled gasps at what she had done, even Snape.

Ron was crying as if he had lost his own hand.

"Tie the rat up, Professor. Let's go see the Old Goat and get this whole thing done." Rhode said, seemingly completely unfazed by what she'd done. A fact that unnerved everyone else a great deal, "Let's do so quickly, he might bleed out." she said, almost sounding disappointed.

"Don't need to worry about that, I think." Black said unexpectedly. "If it's anything like what your enchanted blade did to me, then it's frosted over so it won't bleed."

Rhode blinked in confusion, enchanted blade? She looked at the switchblade and noticed how the blade was practically frozen over and even had chilly mist wafting off it, like it had been in a freezer. Huh, that was new.

Lupin seemed to suddenly remember Black's injury then and rushed forward to heal him.

"She cut you?" Snape asked curiously.

Black glared at him, "Oh stop sounding so pleased."

"I would never do that." Snape said, despite his curling lips.

Black bared his teeth, but Rhode wouldn't have that, "Enough." she cut off the men, honestly, they could be such babies, "Let's get out of here."

"Right/Fine." the two men said as Snape bound Peter with some magical ropes, leashing him in a straight jacket of ropes.

"I'll take the rear." Rhode said taking control of the situation again. "I want to make sure you guys don't try anything stupid."

"You still don't trust us?" Lupin asked unhappily.

"I only trust a few. It's why the hat said Hufflepuff wasn't for me." The witch shrugged.

"Smart girl." Snape commented approvingly.

"Oh sweet Merlin, they're bonding." Black said with a horrified look on his face.

"Whatever! Black you're second, Lupin you're point. Then Snape and the traitor. As I said, I'll be watching you lot from the back." The girl commanded.

"Um… Guys, are you guys forgetting me?" Ron said suddenly, eying the hand near him with a white washed look.

"Oh...yeah." Rhode admitted, she totally forgot about him. "You can wait here. Your injury will only slow us down right now. We'll get someone to get you later."

"Good point, Weasley should be safe here." Snape noted. Wow, he and Rhode were on a roll.

"But there are four of you!? Can't one of you carry me?" Ron whined.

"And leave that person busy hauling your ass around when we have a slippery criminal to escort?" Rhode coldly rebutted. "No."

"We'll be back soon, Ron. Just tough it out a little longer, ok?" Lupin said kindly.

Ron frowned, but nodded. Trusting the only Professor he liked in the room. Crookshanks padded over to him and nestled by his side, eying him, "Whatcha lookin' at?" he gruffly asked, not liking the pity he could see in the stupid cat's eyes.

With all issues sorted out, the group began their prisoner escort. As they walked the long tunnel back to the trunk of the Whomping Willow, Black would take some glances back towards Rhode, like he wanted to say something, but her cold features made him hold his tongue.

They finally made it to the trunk and Lupin hit the knot to calm the tree, "Okay, let's continue." he said, aiming his wand along with Black at Peter as he came up with Snape. Rhode pulled herself up too, scanning the grounds cautiously.

Just as the rat-man cleared the immediate reach of the Willow, the clouds overhead cleared letting the moon shine its light upon the party.

Rhode looked up and noted it was a full moon.

...Oh shite, it was a full moon!

Her eyes snapped towards Lupin, Snape doing the same as well. Lupin's frame had gone rigid. Then his limbs began to shake.

"The fool never took his potion," Snape cried out, his eyes held a tinge of fear in them, like he was remembering something.

Rhode was reaching into her pocket for her silver weapon, but Sirius pushed her out of the way, "Leave it to me - RUN!"

There was a terrible snarling noise. Lupin's head was lengthening. So was his body. His shoulders were hunching. Hair was sprouting visibly on his face and hands, which were curling into clawed paws.

As the werewolf reared, snapping its long jaws, Sirius disappeared from Rhode's side. He had transformed. The enormous, bearlike dog bounded forward. As the werewolf bellowed a howl, the dog seized it about the neck and pulled it backward. They were locked, jaw to jaw, claws ripping at each other.

Just as Black and the werewolf started fighting, a unnatural chill begun to settle over the whole area. Turning sharply, both Snape and Rhode noticed a wave of darkly cloaked figures closing on them like a wave. "Dementors!" They both shouted.

Pettigrew, who must have found a way to wriggle out of his bindings, made a break for it then. Even as he ran his form begun to change. Unfortunately for him though he didn't make it far. Only a few feet along, he was savaged by a wolfed out Lupin as he himself made a mad dash into the Forbidden Forest and away from the Dementors. Peter Pettigrew, traitor to the Potters, fell dead as Lupin's jaws sank into his jugular, ripping it out in a gory storm. The werewolf did this so casually it didn't even break stride in its frantic dash away from the black cloaked abominations.

Black was right on his tail, tackling him as the werewolf's panicked path deviated back towards the castle. He was obviously trying to make sure Lupin got into the forest where he couldn't hurt anyone.

As Snape cursed under his breath at the situation, he held his wand at the coming wave of Dementors, "Evans, run, now." he barked out.

"Can you even hold all these off?!" Rhode snapped at the man.

Snape just gave a bitter smile, "I fear not."

Rhode looked stunned and held out her wand, "I know the Patronus too."

"How-! Lupin no doubt." the man deduced quickly.

Just as the swarm of Dementors were about to hit the pair, a massive tangle of vines surged out of nowhere and ensnared a whole chunk of the monsters. At the same time, dozens of the creatures suddenly died. Looking over at the castle, Rhode spotted Su and Lee. "Guys, thanks for the save!"

"No problem, Rhode." Lee shouted back as he took to the sky to give air support. "Su got a dream about Dementors and then we saw this swarm. So here we are." He quickly explained as he fired off another salvo of his knives at the monsters.

"What's going on here?" Snape said confused by what was happening. To his credit though it didn't paralyze him and he had enough sense to fire off his Patronus to help the fight. His glowing doe harassing the Dementors and keeping them too flat footed to muster a response against the demigods.

"Just heroes doing hero things." Rhode told him as she summoned her trident. She could feel the presence of the Dementors on her, but she pushed passed it, now knowing what they were doing to her. She jumped into the fray and spun the weapon like a twister, cutting cut the trio of cloaked freaks coming at her.

"Rhode, we got this. Go after the werewolf." Su shouted as she summoned more entangling vines. Her powers couldn't kill the Dementors directly, but she could trap them and leave them easy pickings for Lee. It was why she hadn't chose to take them out with her own sword, even though she dearly wanted to. With the numbers in the Dementors' favor she was more helpful doing what she was doing, keeping them from using their numbers to overwhelm her allies by tying them down with foliage.

"Right! Kick their butts!" Rhode shouted and ran in the direction Black followed Lupin before Snape could stop her.

As Rhode made a mad dash between the lake and the forest, she craned her head to see a small horde of flying ghouls in black coming after her. They must have broken off from the main group when they saw them getting owned.

Clicking her tongue, the daughter of Poseidon said, "I don't have time for you!" she snapped and looked at the lake, "Bob!" she cried out.

The lake was silent for a moment before a ripple suddenly appeared on the water's surface. The disturbance on the water grew steadily until it culminated thunderously with the surfacing of a giant red squid, it's large tentacles waving ominously in the air.

"And who says Aquaman has a terrible power?" Rhode chuckled, "Bob! H Two Own them!"

Bob did just that, his tentacles whipping forward and smacking a few, even as he raised his main body out of the water so as to bring his siphon to bear. It was then it shot a massive jet of water, sending them flying back towards Lee and Su.

"Bob, you rock!" Rhode cheered as she ran into the woods. As she leapt over a bush, Rhode made it into a clearing. She turned to hear a canine cry of pain and saw Black, in dog form, fly into a nearby boulder with a crack, falling limplessly. He looked out of it but amazingly wasn't unconscious and even managed to hiss out a pained bark that sounded like "Remus".

Rhode whirled around to see the beast that was her professor came right at her. She ducked under a swipe of his claws and kicked up, her foot smacking his snout, stunning it for a moment. Rhode quickly got some distance. She tossed Spellbound aside, celestial bronze did nothing to a Lycan. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a clicky pen. With one click, a shining silver short sword was in her hand. She then summoned her shield, while it was celestial bronze, it was layered with more than just metal, so it would still protect her.

"Come on Bigby." Rhode snarled at it, getting a challenging growl back. She honestly didn't want to kill him, but between him or her, Rhode wanted to live. Plus, there was no way to get Black to safety with Mr. Huff and Puff looming right here.

Lupin-Wolf snapped his jaws and charged once more. It was feral and erratic. He wasn't like a Lycan Chiron had taught her about. They were far more in control of themselves, were deadlier because they were beast in body, but man in mind.

Lupin was all beast.

There was no precision in his attacks, just a wild mess. Something that Rhode had dealt with for a long time.

She dodged his lunge with a side-step and bashed him in the face, stunning him as she sliced his thigh. A gut wrenching howl escaped his jaws as he swiped his gangly claws at her, forcing Rhode to move back, holding up her shield defensively.

It was a waiting game, she had to let him attack so she could counterattack. And once she had the chance…

Lupin frantically charged at her, but the daughter of Poseidon once more blocked the swing of his claws with her shield, but there was far more force this time, that made her skid back in surprise. The werewolf took advantage of this and quickly tackled her to the ground.

"Ah!" Rhode cried out in surprise and stabbed forward, slashing out one of Lupin's eyes. The werewolf reeled back with a howl, staggering back at the lost eye.

Rhode's eyes narrowed as she got up and charged, quickly dismissing her shield. Her instincts screaming to go in for the kill. Leaping, she tackled the man turned wolf, sending the beast to the ground as she raised her sword hand up.

With a war cry, Rhode slammed her hand down, her blade sinking into his heart.

Lupin howled once more, this time in blinding pain as Rhode ripped the silver sword out and stabbed twice more, her enemy's blood spurting onto her.

Lupin soon went rigid, his frantic movements limp as a whimper slipped through his jaws.

Rhode looked into his lone feral eye, and felt a minor lump in her gut, but quickly squashed it, "I'm sorry this happened, Lupin. You were a decent teacher." she confessed and raised her blade once more to end his misery.

With a final stab through the throat, the beast was slain under the moonlight.

As Lupin finally stopped moving and slowly reverted back, Rhode removed her blade with a frown on her face. She stood up to check on Black. He was out cold, his injuries must have gotten to him while she was fighting Lupin. Her adrenaline was fading and the weariness of the situation was catching up to her. She fell onto her butt and looked up at the sky, seeing the full moon.

"Honestly a terrible time for that one, Artemis." she said gruffly while contemplating how much of a cluster fuck this turned into.

The whole situation was just both emotionally and physically draining, her eyes felt heavy. She turned to see Snape running towards her and offered a weak grin as she closed her eyes, just wanting to rest.

* * *

Rhode awoke the next day in the Hospital Wing and was visited first thing, immediately after breakfast when visiting hours started, by Su and Lee and they quickly compared notes on what happened. Rhode told them everything that happened in the Shrieking Shack and they told her all about the demigod dream about the Dementors Su had. Apparently, she'd had it while she was napping that afternoon. A guilty pleasure of hers when she had free time during the middle of the day. It hadn't seemed urgent so Su hadn't rushed off to find Rhode and Lee about it, though she did tell Lee at dinner that day when he had come over asking if she'd seen Rhode. When they both realized Rhode was missing, they both were on edge so when they spotted the Dementor swarm descending near the castle, they were ready. And that was why they had such good timing.

The next topic of discussion was sadly not so straightforward. Covering up the demigod involvement in the whole mess.

"So you Misted everyone involved?" Rhode asked Lee.

"Yeah." Lee confirmed. "They saw too much. I made them all think Snape was the hero and dealt with the Dementors, got the lot to flee to parts unknown, and killed feral Lupin all on his own all while protecting his students. Not sure it fully stuck with him though. Got a little weird responses from him when I was using it."

"Probably his Occlumency." Su interjected. "It's a defensive mind art. Father told me about it. All Aurors have to learn at least the basics. Snape is supposedly a master."

"Hmm… Chiron did say that something like that might mess with the Mist." The scion of Poseidon mused. "You think he remembers anything important?"

"I don't think so." Lee said after a moment of careful consideration. "I quizzed him a little while he was under to be sure. He doesn't remember the details. But…"

"But what? Spit it out, Lee." Rhode hissed impatiently.

"Well, I think he might suspect things are off with us from now on." Lee replied.

"Is that all?" Rhode sighed exasperatedly.

"Rhode, if Snape finds out it's a big deal." Su defended Lee's concern. "It would be a breach of the Ancient Laws and we could all be punished for it."

"Sorry." Rhode apologized for making light of things. "It's just, this is Snape. He's suspicious of everyone. If we play things right nothing'll be different."

"I hope you're right." Su said worriedly.

"Rhode's right, Su." Lee said reassuringly. "Besides it's not like we can't just Mist him again if he gets too nosy."

"I guess." Su replied uncertainly.

"Now that the serious stuff is out of the way. Tell me what's up with the gossip mill. Yesterday must have given it plenty of fodder." Rhode asked curiously.

Before Su and Lee could answer her however Madam Pomfrey showed up to shoo the pair out by saying that visiting hours were over and Rhode needed her rest. So it was with a pair of hasty goodbyes under the disapproving gaze of the school nurse, Rhode's friends took their leave. Bored out of her mind now that she was alone, the daughter of the seas decided to take a nap.

* * *

Rhode's eyes snapped open, just to see that she was on that stormy beach once more, the air supercharged with snaps of lightning dancing in the stormclouds, making the clouds appear as if they were illuminated from within.

"Alright, what do you want?" she snapped.

And just as she suspected, the voice appeared, **"Temper temper."** it chided, its voice dripping with condescension, getting Rhode to glower, **"I just wished to congratulate you. Killing your enemies in such a way was truly impressive."**

Frowning, Rhode said, "You told me to kill Black." she mocked.

" **Well, more your enemies, which you did! The little rat's screams of pain delighted you, didn't it?"**

The daughter of Poseidon glared at nothing as she said, "I wanted him to face his crimes. I maimed him just to get back at him."

" **You and I both know if you were alone you would have done more."** the voice crooned soothingly, **"If you had your way, he would have been diced to pieces and scattered into Tartarus."** the voice said darkly, as if something angered it.

Rhode looked down, not wanting to give the voice the pleasure of hitting the nail on the head.

" **But still, you didn't hesitate to slay the Lycan, despite what attachment you held towards him. Little though it was. You have a warrior's heart, child. It is no wonder the gods continue to test you."**

That floored Rhode, making her look up, "What? Test?"

" **Did you forget about Zeus sending The Earth Mother's beast after you?"** the voice said with a throaty chuckle.

Anger flooded Rhode's veins, "Yeah, I remember. Why can't they just leave me alone!" she shouted, everything that had just happened and now this again? She hated it. All of it!

Rhode got it, her birth was forbidden. Didn't the gods have better things to do than constantly remind her of that?

" **It's as I said, they fear you child. As long as you live, you are a threat to them."** The voice lulled alluringly.

Rhode was about to respond, but the world around her started shaking, making Rhode fall to her knees, "What?!" she said startled, looking around as the beach was fading in blotted colors.

The voice sounded smaller, but its rage made up for it as it shouted, **"No. I'm not done with her yet! You'll pay dearly for this interruption, mortal!"**

* * *

Rhode awoke with a start, shooting up to see none other than Snape shaking her shoulder.

"Wha?" she slurred out, wiping the drool from her mouth.

"You were having a nightmare." the man noted to her.

Rhode felt her face and noticed it was covered in sweat. Shaking her head and wiping her hands, she said, "Um, thanks."

A silence passed between them before Snape informed her of Sirius being acquitted thanks to Pettigrew's corpse and his testimony. Rhode nodded to this, happy that Sirius was at least free from his charges.

"Is that why you came? To tell me all this?" Rhode asked.

"No." Snape replied. "I wanted to talk to you about Lupin."

Silence hung over them at those words as both wrestled over their guilt at their roles in the man's death. After a long moment though, Snape visibly gathered his courage and begun to speak.

"I...I wished to check up on you. I too was...assaulted by a werewolf in my school years here at Hogwarts."

Rhode knitted her brow and looked at him, "...Lupin?" she hazarded a guess. She received a curt nod.

"It was a truly harrowing experience. It was my first brush with death. It scared me then and still haunts me to this day." Snape said uncharacteristically honest. "The trauma lingers. I will not go into details, but I only live to this day thanks to...Potter." he admitted, a sour tone in his voice.

"So that's why you hate him so much? And me too?" Rhode stated.

"Partly. Potter and his little gaggle of friends had tormented me in my youth. I fought back. Because of that we grew to hate each other. So when he saved me… I just saw it as another act of bullying, especially since Black had been the one to set me up to be killed by Lupin. I ended up owing Potter a life debt. All for what seemed like one of their pranks. To this day I don't know whether or not it was a prank gone wrong or a deliberate attempt to gain a life debt over me. Not that it would have mattered. Either way it would have fueled my hatred for Potter."

Rhode gained a confused look, "Why...why are you telling me this?"

"Patience," Snape said quickly, "At the start, I viewed you as an incarnation of your father. Of this man I hated beyond measure." Well, the first part wasn't wrong, "But, as I looked upon you, I came to increasingly realize you took more after your mother. That temper was one such nuance. Little Lily Evans' temper was like a fire, much like her hair."

"Little?"

Snape actually gave a sorrowful smile, "I knew Lily as a child. I told her about magic once she showed signs of it. We both received our letters but went to different houses, which did not help in the later years of our friendship. My fighting with Potter just kept escalating. Lily tried to intervene, to stop the fighting, but I had said...something unforgivable and lost the friend I cherished as a result."

"You loved her?" Rhode asked, already knowing the answer.

"Yes. With all my heart. It was why her choosing to marry your father made me hate him more. Losing Lily was bad enough. But to lose her to Potter of all people? Unbearable!" Snape hissed.

"And then I came around and they died." the daughter of Poseidon added.

"And I blamed you for it. A little at least. I was rational enough to know it was not your fault. But…" Snape trailed off, his entire being radiating regret.

"Emotions aren't logical. Trust me on that one. Besides, you're not the first to blame me for being born." she chuckled weakly at that.

"I'm sorry regardless." Snape said honestly. "I'm sorry for many things."

"Like?"

Snape looked thoughtful for a moment, as if debating whether to answer her question and if so whether to do so truthfully. "Like killing Lupin."

"I thought you hated him?"

"I did." Snape nodded, "but now, with him gone and thinking about it...he was just the gun used by another."

"...That was a muggle analogy." she pointed out, "But since you knew Lily as a kid and knew about magic...gods, you're a half-blood!"

Snape looked surprised, but schooled his features, "Yes, I am. I'm impressed you figured that out so quickly. You certainly can think on your feet." he complimented and then sighed heavily, "The worse thing about Lupin's death is the sheer stupidity that led up to it. If that man hadn't forgotten to drink his wolfbane before running off to help Black capture Pettigrew… Well he'd likely be alive today."

"I guess so," Rhode admitted and turned towards Snape, "Thanks. For, you know, listening to me at the shack."

Snape just nodded, "After you explained the logic behind it, I would have been foolish not to listen...If I did, the catalyst to Lily's death may have escaped. I...would not be able to forgive myself for that." he stated. After a curt nod to Rhode, a small glimmer of respect in his eyes, he took his leave.

As he was about to exit, Rhode's voice stopped him.

"You know, you're not that much of a dick." Rhode said with a cheeky smile.

Snape craned his head to face her, an exuberant look on his face, though he hid it quickly, "Watch your tongue, Evans." he said, but Rhode could swear on the River Styx she saw a tiny smile on his face.

As Snape left, Rhode lay against her pillow, staring up at the ceiling.

There were still a few days until school let out and according to Madam Pomfrey she would be stuck here for the duration. In her words, to observe her for the effects of overexposure to Dementors. That sucked. She was bored already, how was she going to survive four days tied to a bed?

Well, at least Su left Rhode her sketchpad.

She wondered what her next comic strip should be?

* * *

Thankfully, the stay in the Hospital Wing wasn't as dreadful as Rhode had feared. The gossip mill had worked overtime apparently, and she'd been branded a innocent victim of tragic circumstances wildly out of control. So plenty of people, friends like Penelope and Dean; and even casual acquaintances like her classmates from Ancient Runes and her other classes, all stopped by to pay her a visit. The constant company upset Madam Pomfrey but helped Rhode immensely in dealing with the boredom of being locked up in the infirmary. Noticeably absent in these visits though was Ron. After getting his broken leg fixed overnight and being discharged from the Hospital Wing, he was out the doors at hyperspeed. He hadn't come back once to visit the child of the sea. Apparently, if what she heard was right, he was now doing everything he could to distance himself from her, calling her 'Crazy'. It seemed as if he hadn't forgiven her for everything that happened in the Shrieking Shack.

Snape had gotten a fancy award from the Ministry as they had to publicly admit their screw up in sending the Dementors to a school of all places, looking like fools. Slytherin got the cup at the end of the year, which made them cheer loudly both at their win and in congratulations to their head of house, who was actually smirking at the praise directed towards him.

Dumbledore had of course, at the End-of-Term Feast, taken the time to lament the loss of Lupin. But even then he showed how senile he was when he needlessly announced his nature as a werewolf. It raised many mixed feelings among the students. Some felt outrage at his being at Hogwarts in the first place, others sadness over his death, and the rest uncertain what to think. Dumbledore had effectively ruined a good man's reputation in his death. Good job, Stupid Goat!

The Old Goat also took the time during the Feast to for some reason talk about Sirius Black. He had droned on and on for fifteen long minutes about how Black was innocent all along and was never a threat to anyone in the school. And how a great wrong had been corrected… blah, blah, blah. Rhode just tuned him out, it wasn't like she hadn't learnt all this already from reading about it in the Daily Prophet that Lee passed her to help her kill time in the Hospital Wing.

Though the Old Goat's nonsense did remind her of her own troubles with Sirius Black. Her godfather, and by Olympus that was an odd thing to accept, was sending her mixed messages. On one hand, he wanted to stay in touch with her, even going out of his way to do so. He'd bought her a fancy communication mirror that he held the twin to and allowed them to talk to each by projecting the user's images on the mirror. And he demanded they do so at least once every week or he'd exercise his godfatherly rights and fight for custody, something she dearly wanted to avoid. Sure, he sounded like he was just joking when he made that demand, but Rhode wasn't risking it.

But at the same time every time they talked, their conversation were clipped and cold. It was like even though he couldn't remember that she had killed Lupin, his best friend, thanks to the Mist, something must have slipped through. Enough at least so that he was clearly uncomfortable with her now. And in the few times he warmed up to her, he had started treating her like a James Potter substitute, making her uncomfortable instead.

She was a little bummed about the whole thing. Here was a guy who knew the Potters and could tell her loads of stuff about them, but he was distancing himself from her. She hated them for their shitty decision-making that left her orphaned and forced to live with the Dursleys, yes, but still… They were her family and had died for her. She got curious sometimes. Well, at least she and Snape got along better now. He knew them too. If curiosity struck she could always approach him.

Overall though, she wasn't that concerned. She didn't need Black. She had her own family already, she didn't need to cling to the remnants of one from a past she couldn't even remember.

* * *

The train ride back to London was a nice change of pace. If for no reason then it was the first time that Rhode was allowed the freedom to come and go freely in almost a week. Sure, she had been allowed to attend the Farewell Feast, but she'd only been officially discharged at the very last minute, a punishment Madam Pomfrey had explained for being so very uncooperative during her stay. It was a wonder she had managed to pack all her stuff away in time to make the train.

So it was that Rhode could be found enjoying her new freedom by chilling out in a compartment with Su.

"I'm just saying it looks lovely on you, Rhode. Even with it looking messy, it just fits you." The daughter of agriculture admitted freely complimenting her friend's hair.

Over the course of the second semester, Rhode's hair had grown out to her waistline. Besides that, she had also grown another inch, reaching a height of five foot five.

Rhode smiled at that, feeling proud, "Yeah, but still, being called pretty lately feels weird." she chuckled sheepishly.

Su shook her head, "I think you've grown out of pretty and are outright beautiful now."

The daughter of the sea's cheeks pinked, "Su." she said and looked at her friend, "Well, you're beautiful too. Though sorta short." she teased. It was true, Su had been a budding beauty for some time now. Where Rhode was built, Su was petite, but both were acknowledged beauties. She was still two inches shorter than her friend though and Rhode often teased her over that fact.

Su just gave a bashful smile at the praise and they continued to joke around until they finally reached Platform Nine and Three Quarters.

* * *

As soon as she exited the Floo, Rhode opened her arms wide and got her traditional welcome back hug from Annabeth. Looking down at the blonde bundle of joy, she said, "Wow, did you get taller?"

Annabeth nodded enthusiastically, "Yep!" she quickly gave Rhode another tight hug around the waist, "Welcome back." she said, looking happy, content and peaceful with her big sister back at their home.

"It's great to be back." the daughter of Poseidon said with a soft smile as Luke walked on over. After Annabeth released her, Rhode gave the older blond a hug as well.

"So, how did it go?" Luke asked with concern. Lee had written to him about what happened and he was worried for Rhode.

"I'm fine, Luke." the child of the sea said while Annabeth picked up Hedwig, "It was...an experience."

Luke still looked worried while he grabbed one side of her trunk and Rhode picked up the other, "Well, alright...just, if you want to talk…"

"I know," Rhode offered him a pretty smile, "I've got two blondes to fret over me." She laughed while some pegasi flew overhead.

The child of Poseidon looked over the camp with a smile. Her home was bustling with life as always and it warmed her heart.

Rhode turned her sea green eyes to the Long Island Sound and said, "I'm home, dad."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you Nameless and Sieg, you two have helped make this book and fic even better than I could have hoped for. Be sure to thank them guys, they should be getting credit just like me!
> 
> Next, the scene I had been dying to do. Su getting high as a freaking kite! The normal good girl is gone and she is a taco craving monster! And as for why tacos? Well, it is my headcanon for one, and just made it hilarious. Plus I once heard a joke about Mexican food being the opposite of Chinese food, lol!
> 
> We then have the kids learning about the patronus charm. Rhode is not uber close to Lupin, so she wouldn't go to him to learn. Lee on the other hand asked him and he gave it to him. So he decided to teach the girls. And yes, Rhode eyed Cedric, only because he was attractive, no need to fret my readers. It's like a guy looking at a hot girl or hot guy, you pick which you want.
> 
> And then came Scorpio! First off, yes, I know Orion is a Giant in Rick's story setting. I read BOO too people. Just most of the stories have him stated to be a son of Poseidon, so Rhode had noted in chapter 2 that she knows her siblings and dad's stories, that's one of them. Of course she'll learn and be corrected later on by say Chiron or something. Now, Rhode has shown her powers with geokinesis! Note that she is superior to Percy at this. Since this power is very dangerous, I felt the feedback to be pain was very reasonable since Percy only pulled it off with luck and look what he did? Blew up a volcano. Rhode on the other hand has more control.
> 
> Nameless2210: Oh, and I want to talk about the geokinesis just a little bit too. Yes Rhode is better at it than Percy, in that she can actually control it. This translates into generating small quakes to trip people up and that's it. We didn't want Rhode to be OP, so we made it such that outside specific affinities demigods can't readily access certain powers even if they're within their divine parent's domains. In a pinch, sure. Percy did that in Mt. St. Helens, and so Rhode does it here too. Treat these shows of force like one-time supermoves.
> 
> And the number reward system, me and Nameless thought it would be an interesting perk. Since Apollo has some ties with Scorpio's story, I thought it would fit. Plus, he's a manwhore who would so pass his number out to a certain daughter of Poseidon.
> 
> Now for the biggest thing, death, Death, and more DEATH! We got a trifecta of killing going on, whoo!
> 
> Nameless, you brilliant man you, take it away!
> 
> Nameless2210: I'll admit I take pride in killing Lupin here. It's just so, relatively speaking, original! I don't recall it being done even once. This story takes the themes for PJO and HP canons and tries to express them as logically as possible within itself, and death is a major part of both. Except for the Main Characters with their plot shields, plenty of people die in both. Even beloved characters. So we're just running with that theme here. Hope we don't get flames from the Lupin fans for it. Also note, death has consequences, another major theme of both canons, which we explore here through the lens of Sirius' strained relationship with Rhode.
> 
> Oh my gosh! Snape has a soul?! Jk jk, but seriously, we have shown since the end of Year Two that Snape has started to grow in character differently, and this is the outcome.
> 
> Nameless2210: So we had Snape and Rhode have a heart to heart. Narratively, I felt this was a fitting culmination of Snape's increasing sense of understanding with Rhode. It also helps to humanize Snape more and give his character more depth, much more believably than the half-ass last minute attempts to do so in canon ever did. Plus it makes logical sense from an in-story perspective too. Snape is vulnerable right now after having just confronted some of his greatest inner demons i.e. Black, Lupin and Lily's death, so it makes sense that he'd be open to sharing about it. Especially with Rhode who shares issues with all the same people and who he's come to build an understanding with.
> 
> Also, for those wondering, Rhode's hair is similar to Yang Xiao Long from RWBY, but it ends at her waistline and she doesn't have a cowlick, just loose and messy. Just for those curious about her style.
> 
> And finally, Rhode is home, where her heart is.
> 
> Now please kindly review, no flames, and peace off until next time my loyal readers!


End file.
